My Skin
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: Owen's the bad boy, Tosh is recovering from a mental break down, Ianto has a crush on Jack whose dating Gwen who has a stalker. and the A-Levels can't get any harder? Gwack, onesided Janto, Towen and Ianto/Andy
1. Chapter 1

Beginning of September was the most dreaded time of the year after the beginning of exam season. School has started once more and the teenagers were not pleased to be back in the cold sterile building they called hell. Gwen Cooper however enjoyed school more than most not because she was academic but because she would be with her friends more often than she would be in the school holidays.

Pale white skin and deep dark black hair, she had been casted as Snow White one time too many during her primary school years. She had sea green eyes and preferred to wear black jeans and dark coloured t-shirt with her black leather jacket. The brightest colour that she ever wore willingly was red.

Ianto Jones, her best friend leaned against the locker next to her wearing his usual suit despite the fact their sixth form allowed them to wear whatever they wished (within reason). Ianto had yet to lose his baby face but otherwise was rather handsome with his puppy dog eyes and brown hair.

"Have you heard what Owen Harper did?" Ianto asked taking Gwen's books for her without her asking.

"God what has that twat done now?" Gwen asked disgusted.

Owen Harper was the bad boy of the school. Gwen barely got on with him and tended to avoid him as much as possible. Rumours had it that Owen had been arrested by the police far too many times for drink driving, vandalism and mugging old ladies.

"I heard he snuck into the girls changing rooms, again" Ianto said wrinkling his nose up in disgust. "Only this time he stolen their bras"

"Urgh, that git makes me sick" Gwen snarled.

"Who makes you sick? Not me I hope" an American drawl came from behind them.

Both Gwen and Ianto blushed deeply immediately. Jack Harkness, captain of the boys football team. Jack Harkness was tall, broad shouldered, handsome, brown haired and blue eyed. He moved from America four years back and been on descent terms with everyone, mostly because he was the biggest flirt ever.

"Of course not you" Gwen said quickly. "We're talking about Owen Harper"

"Ah" Jack said. "Shame you two can't get on better, Owen's not that much of a bad guy once you get to know him. Besides the girls changing room? Priceless"

Gwen and Ianto rolled their eyes. "Its times like this I know why you and Owen are best friends" Gwen said.

"Yes it's very difficult to know why someone has handsome as me is friends with someone like Owen but lucky enough for the poor bugger I'm not a shallow person" Jack said grinning. "So I'll sit with you lot at lunch right? Owen's most likely not going to turn up"

"Sure, Emma, Andy and Carys like it when you sit with us" Gwen beamed.

"What about Rhys? He doesn't seem to like me that much" Jack said raising his eyebrow. "Wouldn't his wants come before the others since his your boyfriend?"

Gwen fidgets uncomfortably. "We broke up" she admitted, Ianto reached out and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and she smiled up at him. "It was a sort of mutual agreement. The romance just fizzled out and Rhys no longer wanted to stay in school, he's got this internship with the lorry driver company, Harvards I think it's called"

"He's an idiot to leave someone so gorgeous behind" Jack said just as the bell rang. "Looks like I got to go, my teacher won't like me being late"

"Bye Jack, see you at lunch" Gwen called. The moment the handsome young man turned round the corner, Ianto bashed his head against Gwen's shoulder and groaned. "Yan? It's all right, you didn't make a prick of yourself like the last time" Gwen said reassuringly.

"Gwen I didn't say anything!" Ianto said despairingly. "Besides it looks like he's going to ask you out any time soon"

"Jack Harkness is a flirt" Gwen pointed out. "Doesn't mean anything"

Ianto smiled warmly. Both him and Gwen have huge crushes on Jack, Ianto never had much experience due to the fact his only girlfriend Lisa got in a car crush the week after they started dating. Ianto had only recently discovered he liked men and was keeping it a secret from his parents and sister. Gwen had always been with Rhys until recently and she's had a crush on Jack for the past two years though she remained loyal to Rhys. The two best friends made an agreement that neither will make a move on Jack, Jack will choose one of them and ask them out. The other will have to accept it.

Both Ianto and Gwen were confident that their friendship would survive it. After all they've been best friends since Year One and tell each other everything.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Owen Harper I have had about enough with you!" the headmaster snapped. "First you disrespect your teachers, get into fights with your fellow students and played with spit balls"

"I was thirteen, so sue me" Owen said rolling his eyes.

"Then you started those pranks, gluing teachers into chairs, putting a real life tarantula in Miss Cooper's locker and so many more" the headmaster continued as if Owen never spoke. "And then you started to bring alcohol and weed for dealings, joined that stupid gang and vandalised the school"

Owen grunted. He knew he had done many bad things in his life that it no longer bothered him much to his teachers' displeasure. And his social worker. And his grandmother. His mother didn't give damn though.

"And after last summer I thought you would have learnt to be a better citizen" the headmaster finished his rant. "Have you not learnt anything in community service?"

"If it bothers you that much why not expel me?" Owen demanded.

"Despite your bad behaviour Mr Harper" the headmaster sniffed. "You are one of our most intelligent students"

Owen narrowed his eyes. Yes he got one of the best grades, yes he actually does all the work and hands it in on time but he skips a couple lessons here and there, did awful things and he still never been expelled. He has no idea why and it irritated him.

"Whatever" he muttered.

"Now Mr Harper, there's an old student returning to St Mary's and I would like you to keep her company and help her fit in" the headmaster said sitting back down in his chair. "It might teach you a little something"

"Why?"

"Toshiko has had a hard time recently and she's a bit vulnerable. Now she's waiting outside would you like to greet her and take her to the canteen, lunch will start shortly"

Owen rolled his eyes. "Sure but no promises" he grumbled before leaving the office. Outside like promised was a young girl, roughly Owen's age. She was Japanese, petite and reading a book. She was rather pretty. "Oi Bookworm, I'm meant to show you around" she looked up surprised. "Come on then or I'll leave you behind"

He rolled his eyes at the sound of hurrying footsteps. Something told him this was going to be annoying.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen, Jack, Ianto, Andy, Emma and Carys all sat down at the table with their lunch. Emma and Carys were discussing their beauty Betek course while Andy and Ianto were complaining about their business studies teacher.

"I feel sorry for you" Gwen said nibbling her pizza slice. "Mr Watson has awful garlic breath"

"He doesn't know my name!" Ianto complained. "He's taught me for, what four years now? And he still calls me Rhiannon"

The whole table snorted and Ianto flushed in embarrassment.

"Well you don't have your sister's sexy curves but you're pretty enough" Jack said in his usual flirtatious way.

"Christ Jack who don't you flirt with?" Andy asked interestedly. "Do you still flirt with pot plants and pillows?"

"No because unlike you Andy I actually date" Jack said grinning.

"Charming" Andy said his lips twitching in amusement.

Ianto sighed enviously. Like Gwen, Andy and the others can talk to Jack easily while Ianto still got a little tongue tied. It was moments like this that made Ianto wondered if his friends were blind, after all Jack Harkness was equal to a Greek God like Adonis or Zeus. Powerful, sexy, charismatic and gorgeous.

Just then Jack Harkness' best friend walked in. Someone, in Ianto's opinion, who doesn't deserve the affection Jack, gives to him. Owen Harper is a weasel in appearance and a rat in attitude. Behind him followed a shy and very pretty Japanese girl, someone who Ianto remembered vaguely and knew was coming back (having connections to the school office was very useful).

"Who's that following Owen?" Gwen asked curiously. "She looks familiar"

"It's Toshiko Sato" Ianto said. "Remember her? She left in Year Eight for that prestigious private school"

"Oh yeah Tosh" Gwen smiled as she remembered the lovely Japanese girl. "She tutored me in Maths. Jack invite Owen over they should sit with us"

Jack nodded. "Oi Owen, you and your new girlfriend can sit with us" Jack shouted waving a hand.

Owen rolled his eyes. "She's not my girlfriend, she's just some new girl that was dumped on me for punishment" he said pushing Gwen to the side so he can sit next to Jack.

Gwen glared at him but didn't say anything to him. "Tosh, it's been so long, how are you?" Gwen asked beaming up at Tosh.

"I'm fine" Tosh whispered monotonously.

"Why are you back? I thought you would have been in university now, Ms Child Prodigy" Gwen teased lightly.

"I needed a break" Tosh whispered, looking down at the floor and clutching her book tightly.

Gwen frowned, something was wrong and she could tell. "Are you ok sweetheart, you're not acting yourself"

"I got to go" Tosh whispered before running out of the canteen. They could all hear her clattering footsteps running down the hallway.

Everyone frowned.

Owen shrugged and turned to Jack. "Let's get some chips, the chick obviously knows her way round here and if not Cooper will start mothering her any second"

Gwen stomped on Owen's foot causing the boy to screech. Ianto and Andy snickered while Emma and Carys swapped evil smirks.

Jack only rolled his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

The door banged open and Tosh staggered in, ignoring the librarian's glare as she rushed to a corner surrounded by shelves. She sunk onto the floor, pulled her legs up to her chest, snatched the nearest book and opened it. She was panting and it was hard to concentrate on the words.

It was a mistake coming back to St Mary's. She should have stayed in her nice clean, white private room for all eternity where she could read books and not be expected to pass exams. The year before she failed miserably in Biology. She got a U; she never got a D in her life let alone a U before.

It broke her.

All that stress, all that loneliness and all that silent suffering built up and snapped.

At the age of seven it had been acknowledge that she was a prodigy. She was put in the Year Six class and flew through her SATs. She went on into secondary school and immediately sat her Year Nine SATs before going into GCSE. When she was thirteen she was sitting her first set of A-Levels.

That was when she met Gwen Cooper.

Gwen was in Year Eight and failing miserably in Maths. Tosh was asked to tutor her and eager to get into a prestigious university, she agreed. Gwen dazzled Tosh, unlike most people who begged for tutoring, Gwen was polite and considerate. Many times Gwen brought snacks for Tosh and spoke to her afterwards about little things. Eventually they built a good friendship and Tosh didn't feel so alone.

After two sleepovers, one shopping trip and a handful of hanging out in the park Tosh was offered a place in a private prestigious boarding school. She would be sitting as many A-Levels as she desired. Doing the occasional course that was often seen at university and being taught multiple languages. Tosh was now fluent in not only Welsh but French, German, Spanish, Italian and Greek. She also had the A-Levels to prove it.

Sitting her last set of A-Levels before moving onto Cambridge or Oxford or maybe Edinburgh or Glasgow (all offered her a place) she was shocked to see the U in Biology.

She flipped.

At first she did nothing but when she got home shocked her mother had scolded her. Told her that she was a disgrace. It had set Tosh off, she shrieked, she cried, she threw plates at her mother and then she began to get paranoid. She couldn't walk down a street without accusing someone of thinking something bad about her. After being taken to the hospital by her mother (who couldn't understand why her daughter was behaving so badly) it was discovered Tosh had long ago taken to cutting.

She was then admitted by her own mother into a psychiatric ward.

Tosh was only released last August where she quickly registered back into her old school to do Biology, English Lit and History A-Levels.

But now she wasn't sure she could cope with the stress of being round people.

Though, she couldn't help think that Owen Harper was rather cute.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The bell rang after registration.

Both Gwen and Ianto had a free and were planning to go watch the boys' football practise. Anything to ogle at Jack Harkness shirtless which for some reason tends to happen whenever the girls come and watch the boys practise.

"Hold on Yan I need to grab my psychology folder, Mrs Davis set us a ton of homework and it's only the first proper week back" Gwen moaned.

Ianto smiled. While Gwen worked hard she was not a natural hard worker and despised homework in all guises. "Of course, would you like me to carry it for you again?"

"No thanks Yan, you shouldn't keep doing that. You're my friend not my lapdog"

"I'm merely looking out for you"

"I know sweetie, I know" Gwen said turning the dial on her locker till it opened up. The moment the door opened a red rose fluttered out and landed on Gwen's shoe. She frowned and bent down to pick it up. "Beautiful" she murmured.

"Probably Jack" Ianto said half teasingly and half jealous.

"Nah, Jack likes to show off" Gwen pointed out. "He would have presented a giant bouquet in front of the whole school"

"Very true" Ianto said grinning at the embarrassing memories of Valentines Day where Jack embarrassed every good looking girl and boy. "How about Rhys?" Gwen raised an eyebrow. "All right stupid question"

"Whoever it is, it was very thoughtful" Gwen said smelling the rose and smiling serenely. "I hope I find out who they are just to thank them"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen was irritated. A passing teacher who knew about Owen's punishment for stealing the girls' bras and informed him (while smirking) that he had to take Toshiko Sato back to the headmaster's office before school ended. This teacher must have also known that Toshiko ran off during lunch and Owen had no idea why nor did he care really.

So now he had to find the geeky bookworm before he gets to go home. Oh the joy. Deciding to go to the most obvious place for someone like Toshiko Sato to run to, Owen headed towards the library.

He didn't have the fucking time for this. His grandmother would want him home as soon as possible and then he's got to go to the hospital...

He rolled his eyes when he spotted Toshiko Sato curled up in the far corner reading a book. _Typical. _He marched over and snatched the book out of her hands; she looked up with terrified wide eyes.

"Come on Bookworm, I've got to take you back to the office" he mumbled refusing to look at her. She made no movement; he clucked his tongue impatiently before taking her hand and helping her up. She gasped as if she was in pain. "Did I pull something?" he asked bored. She shook her head. "All right then lets go"

He led her back to the office where the headmaster was accepting a file from one of his many secretaries. Owen has no idea why the headmaster needed so many and had started the harem rumour that went around back in Year Ten.

"Ah Toshiko there you are, good day?" Tosh nodded shyly. "Mr Harper taking good care of you?" another shy nod. "That's good, well visit me whenever you need someone to talk to or if a problem arises though I hope my staff will be capable of taking care of you"

"I'm sure they will" Tosh whispered.

Owen rolled his eyes. All that girl ever does was whisper or move her head, doesn't she ever talk properly? What a loser. Once the headmaster left Owen walked past Toshiko Sato without even looking at her. She wasn't worth his time.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack came home to the smell of his mother's cooking. He loved his mother's cooking, his father can barely make toast and Jack could never do a homemade meal like his mother can. Despite it being early September the evening air was rather chilly and Jack had stupidly left his jacket at home, so the warmth was pleasant and most welcoming.

"I'm home" he called out.

His mother, a small brunette woman came out wiping her hands on her apron. "Hello darling how was school today?" she asked kissing his cheek.

"Good, classes went well, football practise went brilliantly and Gwen is looking sweet as ever" Jack said pulling his mother in for a proper hug.

His mother chuckled. "You always did have an eye for the ladies, it always got you into trouble and your father doesn't want to get involved with angry fathers again" she turned and walked back into the kitchen, Jack followed. "Your brother has written to you"

Jack swallowed. "Gray?"

"Yes, you only have one other brother Jack" his mother said smiling fondly. "Gray appears to being doing well. The teachers have also written and said he was doing brilliantly in science"

Jack's younger brother refused to leave America. It caused many arguments and almost destroyed their mother when Gray threatened emancipation, in the end their father made an agreement with their sole surviving grandmother. Gray went to boarding school and lived with her over the holidays. Every summer they visited Gray who has become more and more distant and no longer the little boy Jack loved dearly. Jack expected Gray was getting in the wrong crowds, especially since one of his new found friends was Jack's only ex-boyfriend John Hart. Who was in rehab for alcohol or was it drugs, hard to keep count on.

"Good for him" Jack said flashing his movie star grin. "Now where's my little princess" Jack bent down and picked up a chubby dark haired two year old out of her high chair. "There she is, my beautiful wonderful little princess" he cooed twirling the baby in the air.

"Dada! Dada!" the baby shouted gleefully reaching for her father. "Dada home!"

"Yes I am my darling little girl" Jack said holding the baby close to him, kissing her forehead. "Have you been good to Granny, Alice?"


	3. Chapter 3

"So Bowlby's 44 Thieves experiment suggests...."

Gwen muffled a yawn as she rapidly scribbled notes as the teacher kept droning on. Gwen was interested in psychology; she planned to do crime psychology in university before going into training as a policewoman. However her teacher Mr Pritchard had one of the most boring voices in the world, it was rather soothing when you needed a nap.

"Psst Gwen"

Gwen turned slightly to see Suzie Costello grin behind her. Gwen barely knew Suzie but they had all three classes together and had worked on a project then and there. Suzie was an intelligent woman with a large nose and brown bushy hair but from a certain angle you could see Suzie as an attractive woman.

"You got a pen? Mine ran out of ink" Suzie whispered. Gwen nodded and pulled out a spare pen from her pencil case and quickly handed it to Suzie. "Thanks"

Gwen smiled showing the gap in her teeth. "You're welcome" she whispered back.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto, Gwen and Andy were walking together towards the library. They had a free period between psychology and their next class and were determined to get a head start on the essay Mr Pritchard had assigned them. Ianto was laughing at one of Andy's jokes when he spotted him. He stopped walking and froze completely.

"Yan?" Gwen said softly.

There he was in his black leather jacket, reddish long hair and blue empty eyes. He stared straight back at Ianto and read the fear etched into Ianto's face. He grinned predatorily causing Ianto's breathing to speed up. Gwen spotted him and glared.

"Don't worry Yan, I won't let that bastard near you" she said darkly, grabbing hold of Ianto's arm and steering them down a different corridor.

"Christ what was the school thinking letting Adam Smith back in?" Andy grumbled. "He should be in some psychiatric ward"

Ianto shuddered. "It's been two years. You think I would be over it by now"

"Yan, it was severe bullying he made you think awful things and almost drove you to the point of insanity" Gwen said, her voice shaking at the terrible memories where she almost lost her best friend. "No one can expect you to be completely over it"

"Don't worry Ianto" Andy said gripping onto Ianto's shoulder tightly. "We'll protect you"

Ianto smiled weakly. Grateful for the loving and loyal friends he had while praying that Adam Smith won't do anything to him.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Oh look what the cat dragged in" Suzie drawled barely looking up from her book. "I thought you were gone for good"

"Nah, went to some basic college to re-sit the GCSEs and then applied to come back year for my A-Levels" Adam said sitting down next to Suzie and wrapping an arm round her. "After all I couldn't let my Suzie be all alone"

"I had Bilius" Suzie said coldly.

Adam looked to the side where a tall Asian man with hair that came to his chin stood calmly as he watched his clock transfixed.

"Oh yes very exciting company Suzie" Adam said sarcastically. "Come on you missed me really"

"I have no time for you manipulating games" Suzie said flatly. "What you have done was foolish and got you expelled. When you have someone you shouldn't scare them into submission"

"What can I say Suzie, Ianto was my little obsession he was open minded and innocent and so easy to convince" Adam said grinned. "I might scare him a little more but he has bored me. I need someone new and exciting. What about you Suzie, do you still have that burning passionate obsession of yours?"

"None of your business" Suzie hissed.

"Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession, friendship is never anything but sharing" Bilius said monotonously not looking up from his clock.

"Elie Wiesel" Suzie said immediately.

"Ah but we have no friends in this life for we are invisible. We need our little obsessions to fill our life. My obsession with time informs my poetry so completely it is hard for me to summarize it. We want time to pass, for new things to happen to us, we want to hold on to certain moments, we don't want our lives to end"

"John Barton, nice choice" Suzie said smiling. "But it's best to stay invisible for now Adam after all you don't want to be expelled again now do you?"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Hey"

The trio looked up from their work to see Owen Harper and Jack Harkness standing beside them. The contrast between them was amazing; Jack was dazzling with good looks and designer clothing while Owen was plain and wore cheap clothes. And yet they were best friends with brotherly affection that anyone could be jealous of.

"We heard that Adam is back" Owen said. "Just wanted to say if he bothers you tell me and I'll batter him for you. After all I hate the bastard and need an excuse to punch him"

"Oh your kindness is so amazingly sweet" Gwen said sarcastically.

"Hey just because I don't get on well with Ianto doesn't mean I won't defend him when he needs it" Owen said defensively. "I was there the last time, it was nasty"

"Thank you Owen" Ianto whispered. "But we're all adults now; chances are he will just leave me alone"

"We're barely eighteen!" Owen exclaimed horrified at the idea of being an adult.

"Even so Yan, we're here for you" Jack said softly.

"Oh...err...ah....t-thank you" Ianto stammered, a light blush growing on his cheeks.

Gwen and Andy exchanged smirks while Owen merely rolled his eyes.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

School was coming to an end and Tosh was balancing her books as she tried to put them in her bag. She walked into something hard and yelped as all her books fell to the floor with a thump. She fell to her knees and hurried tried to gather them all when her fingers brushed against someone's hand. She looked up to see a good looking man with red hair and blue eyes.

"Here you go" he said smiling as he handed her book back to her. "Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going"

"N-n-no it was my fault" Tosh stammered as she stood up. "I wasn't watching where I was going either"

He smiled. "I'm Adam Smith and you are?"

"Toshiko Sato" she said holding her hand out to shake his.

He took her hand and kissed it. "Beautiful" he breathed against her knuckles. "You're absolutely beautiful"

Tosh blushed deeply before wrenching her hand away and running as fast as she could. She wasn't used to this sort of attention and she didn't know whether or not she wanted it. By the time she got to the door she couldn't help wish it was Owen Harper who had kissed her hand.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was the end of the day and Gwen went alone to her locker. She needed a folder to do some homework. She spun the usual dial and pulled the door open when something fell out of her locker. She bent down and picked it up.

It was two red roses, both beautiful and lovely as the one the day before. She sniffed them deeply.

"Pretty" she mumbled tucking them into her bag carefully so they wouldn't be squashed.

As she walked by she was unaware of someone watching her from the shadows.


	4. Chapter 4

Adam would not leave Tosh alone. Wherever she turned at school he was there, even during classes she would see him peering through the door and giving her a mocking wave. Though it was not often, thankfully. However when she was trying to study in the library or walk through the corridors or go home, he was there, smirking and persisting.

"Ah Toshiko, can I say how lovely you look in your blouse today" Adam said as he strolled passed her. "Pink matches that blush of yours wonderfully"

The worst thing of it all was that Tosh couldn't believe she blushes around this smug git.

"Was that a gasp I hear? I do take your breath away a lot recently or are you just asthmatic?"

She was pretty sure she didn't gasp but then again....did she?

"N-n-no I'm n-n-not asthmatic" Tosh stuttered before running down the corridor as fast as she could.

Something about Adam scared her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen opened her locker and no rose fell out. Ianto raised an eyebrow. "Has your admirer given up?" he asked.

For the whole month roses had fallen out of Gwen's locker. Each day of September the exact amount would fall out. Gwen's mother had complained about the stench of roses in Gwen's room and her father is threatening every male near his precious girl. Not a pleasant experience for Ianto and Andy.

"No" Gwen sighed. "My admirer has moved onto putting chocolate in my locker" she pulled out a Mars Bar. "My favourite"

"I thought you quit Mars Bars after I told you about them testing on animals" Ianto frowned.

"But Iantoooooooooooooooooooooooooo it's chocolate!" Gwen whined ripping the wrapper open and taking a vicious bite. "How can you resist?" she asked after swallowing. "So...has Adam said or done anything to you?"

"Apart from the occasional smirk in the corridor? No, hopefully this means he learnt his lesson and won't do anything ever again"

Gwen snorted. "Or he found new prey"

"Always the optimistic one you are" Ianto said sarcastically.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was Saturday and Tosh was waiting for her mother.

It was a little cafe that served a decent non-greasy food. Every Saturday Tosh and her mother would sit down have a meal and discuss Tosh's life. It was part of the programme her doctors came up with. Tosh needed to be more open especially with her mother so she could talk about what stresses her out.

While Tosh loves the time spent with her mother. It was awkward and tense, her mother barely knew her and Tosh barely knew her mother. The trouble of being a full time working mother and full time working genius daughter. No time for each other.

She pulled out a book, Sense and Sensibility one of her favourites and began to read. After ten pages someone sat in the chair opposite her, she put her book down and beamed....only to see Adam there instead of her mother.

"W-w-why are you h-h-here?" Tosh stuttered clutching her book tightly to her chest.

"Don't you remember? Oh Toshiko I'm hurt" Adam pouted. "After all you're the one who asked me on this date"

"I-I-I did?"

"Of course you did, we arranged to meet at this little cafe you know and have lunch together. You also implied we might go see an old movie, one of those French black and white ones you love"

She did love foreign movies. She loved eating here. She was sure she never mentioned either to Adam in passing but...so...she must have...but she didn't remember....which must mean....was she....loosing her mind?

Adam took her hand. "Don't worry your sweet little head. You've been so busy you were bound to forget now then what do you want to eat, my treat and don't argue you deserve to be worshipped"

Across the city unaware of her daughter's situation, Mrs Sato left a message on the answering machine telling Tosh she wasn't able to make lunch this week.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen was trying to find that damn biology book. The one he needed for his essay, the one he had also secretly wanted to read and it wasn't there. The damn bastards had lent it out to someone else. Scanning the shelves for a similar text book Owen spotted the shy and quiet Toshiko through the gaps. She was leaning over several books while jotting down notes in a note pad.

He couldn't help admire her.

She was beautiful, smart and dedicated to her work. Something he only saw in doctors, the only people he admired more than anything other than his grandmother. A hand grabbed Toshiko's shoulder and voice that brought dread to Owen spoke.

"Hello darling, what are you up to?"

"H-h-hi Adam" Tosh stuttered. "J-j-just some work f-f-for biology"

"You should take a break, you look exhausted and I don't want my girlfriend practically passing out" Owen felt as if someone punched him in the stomach. Someone as delicate as Tosh was dating a creep like Adam? That was bad, worse than bad it was a disaster "You're blushing again and you're heart is racing, you love me"

Owen clenched his fists tightly. The damned bastard was putting words in Toshiko's mouth.

"I-I-I-I do?"

"Of course you do. The blush and fast heartbeat is evidence enough but the fact you stutter and enjoy my kiss is also sure signs of it as well"

"M-m-my first kiss" Tosh whispered.

"And it was wonderful" the bell rang. "Ah got to go psychology is waiting for me" yes that fucked up freak would take psychology just so he knew how to mess even more with people's minds. "I'll see you tonight seven o'clock for our date. Love you too sweetheart"

Owen stood there for a few minutes until he was certain that Adam was gone for good. Tosh had started to work again when he moved round the bookcases and sat down next to her.

"So you're dating Adam" he said quietly causing Tosh to jump. "Dump him now"

"W-w-why should I?" Tosh demanded fury and fear shining through her eyes.

"Because Bookworm, the guy is a psychopath who almost destroyed Ianto Jones two years ago" Owen stood up as he noticed the textbook he wanted was on the table. He inwardly grinned; she definitely earned some admiration from him. "Save yourself before it's too late"

"Why are you helping me?" Tosh whispered Owen smiled at the first non-stuttered sentence he heard in a while.

"Because you're sweet" Owen replied before leaving the library.

Tosh was certain she was blushing now.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

She was beautiful but unnaturally thin. Her short blonde hair was paler and weaker than the last time as it spread out against the too white pillow. Her big eyes were shut but they still looked sunken in at her small, thin bony face. Her whole arm looked like it could snap if Tosh bent it.

"Oh Mary" Tosh whispered tucking in some blonde hair behind the girl's ear. "You've gotten worse"

Mary was anorexic. Worse that anorexic, she had delusions. Mary was convinced she was an alien in a human skin. Tosh had befriended her in both her lucid state and her insane state. Tosh was the only one she trusted and Tosh had now betrayed her by leaving the ward forever.

The visits weren't enough and Tosh had heard from the nurses that Mary might die if she doesn't start eating again soon.

Tosh felt tears prick up at the thought of her only best friend dying.

"Ah Toshiko there you are" Dr Smith, a kind man in his forties with big ears and blue piecing eyes. He had watched over Tosh throughout her stay and had discussed many sciences with her. "I'm sorry about Mary, she was dear to you wasn't she? Unfortunately I don't think I can do anything more for her" Tosh hunched over to hide her tears when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't hide your tears Toshiko, you can openly show your emotions, remember what we have discussed?"

Tosh nodded and allowed him to hold her as she cried for Mary. After several long minutes of crying and being comforted, Tosh pulled away from Dr Smith and kissed Mary's forehead.

"Get well soon" she whispered before allowing Dr Smith to usher her into his office.

"Now Toshiko would you like a cup of tea? No? How about a banana filled with potassium? No? All right then why not tell me how school is going for you"

"I....well....the work is easy enough but....the people...."

"You're finding it hard to make friends?"

"Well Gwen and Ianto are friendly enough but I don't know how to....reconnect I guess....I've changed so much and so have they....its complicated"

Dr Smith nodded. "Why not suggest spending lunch with them once a week. Just getting to know them again. Think of it as homework for me"

"Ok" Tosh whispered.

"How's your mother? Still spending Saturday s with her?"

"Well....last Saturday I went on a date instead" Tosh said blushing a faint pink. "I'm in love Dr Smith" she blurted out.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"According to Adam, my heat beats faster, I can't stop blushing, I stutter and I enjoy his kiss so that must mean I love him!"

Dr Smith didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like the young boy was putting thoughts in Toshiko's head. "Toshiko, you're a very nervous person it's expected for you to stutter, blush and have adrenalin rushes around people in general" Dr Smith said seriously, his blue eyes hardening. He cared for Toshiko deeply, as if she was a daughter. "You're at the stage of life where your hormones are running wild and any kiss will feel good. I don't think its love"

"I-i-it must be" Tosh stuttered. "I-I-I-I can't t-t-think of any other conclusion"

Dr Smith smiled a sad smile. "Why not go home, have a nice bath and get an early night. No homework ok?" Tosh nodded. "Fantastic, now off you go Toshiko"


	5. Chapter 5

The words of Dr Smith were still in her mind as she walked down the stairs. She was rather sure that for once in his life Dr Smith was wrong after all because there was no other reasonable explanation...but then again she didn't really care for Adam she found him rather annoying....

She tripped over something and stumbled before grabbing hold of the railings. Someone sniffled behind her and she turned to see a very small boy with his arm in a cast. She bit her lip nervously before sitting down next to the boy. "Err....are you ok?" she whispered shyly.

"N-no" the boy sniffed. "I want to go home; I don't want to die anymore"

"I don't think you'll die" Tosh said softly, the boy looked up at her in surprise. "You have a broken arm right? Nothing else?" he nodded his head. "Then you won't die"

"You promise?" the boy said hopefully.

Tosh bent her fingers into a sign with difficulty since she had only ever read about it. "Scout honour" she said.

The boy giggled. "You're not really a scout are you?"

Tosh smiled and blushed slightly. "No"

"Tim? Tim are you there?" Tosh stiffened at the familiar voice, god please don't let it be him, she really couldn't tell him why she was here. "There you are Tim; you know the nurses are all over the place looking for you....Bookworm?"

Tosh smiled weakly up at Owen. "Hello" she whispered shyly.

"Why are you here?" Owen asked rather surprised than rude.

"She's an angel!" Tim said confidentially. "Told me I'm not going to die, did a scout promise but she's no good because she's not a scout"

Owen chuckled and ruffled Tim's hair. "So you believe her over him, your best friend?"

"Well she's an angel and you're not" Tim said before hugging Owen's leg tightly with his free arm. "But I still love you Dr Harper"

"Love you too kid but you got to go back before Nurse Connors goes insane" Owen said ruffling Tim's hair once more. "So why are you here again Bookworm?"

"My friend is in the ward upstairs" Tosh said quietly. "I went to visit her"

Owen nodded. "I'm here for community service" he admitted. "Just don't tell anyone that I enjoy it here, only Jack knows and I have to rep to think about"

"Ok" Tosh whispered.

Just then some footsteps echoed behind them. They turned to see Dr Smith grinning down at them. "Found a new friend Toshiko? Owen here is a good lad you know he's helped me occasionally in the psychiatric ward. You take care of Toshiko here Owen, she's a little shy"

"Will do sir" Owen said staring at his feet.

Tosh just wished she could die of embarrassment and soon. Once Dr Smith left she had made her excuses and ran out of the hospital as quickly as she could.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Hey listen up people" Jack shouted as he stood on a table in the Sixth Form Common Room. "My man Owen here is turning eighteen this weekend and I want you to bring as much alcohol as possible"

"Jack get down before I strangle you" Owen growled not looking up from his homework. "You're a nuisance to society"

Jack jumped down of the table and handed two invitations to Emma and Carys who were giggling. "Owen, Owen, Owen you love me really" Jack said pinching Owen's cheek. Owen swatted his hand away. "Besides just remember whose mother planned your party"

"What about Alice?" Owen murmured. "Wouldn't the noise wake her up?"

"Nah Mum and Dad are taking Alice for a long weekend in the US to see Gray" Jack said calmly. "As long as we don't trash the house we can do whatever you like just clean up after yourself Owen" Just then Gwen, Ianto and Andy walked in, Jack grinned and pushed his hair back as he stood up and grabbed Gwen. "Beautiful sweet Gwen, will you go to Owen's eighteenth with me, not just as a guest but as my date?"

Gwen blushed lightly. "Sure" she said as casually as she could without squealing. To Jack's surprise Ianto stormed out of the common room and Gwen ran after him. "IANTO! WAIT UP! PLEASE IANTO!"

"What was that all about?" Jack asked blinking.

"None of your business" Andy snapped before taking his invitation and storming towards the sofa where Emma and Carys were sitting.

"Who cares?" Owen asked yawning. "Ianto was never right in the head, a little too anal if you ask me"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Jack frowned.

Owen shrugged. "Whatever, hey Jack...these invites....i can invite someone right?"

"Sure, whoever you like that won't get me arrested"

Owen grinned. "Don't worry she won't" he looked out of the window in an almost wistful glance; Jack's curiosity grew who could make Owen feel feelings so foreign to the cold guy. "She's our new girl, Toshiko Sato she's in my biology class"

"Ah young love" Jack drawled.

Owen smacked him in the arm. "It's not love!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Ianto....Ianto....please" Gwen panted as she grabbed hold of Ianto's arm. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry but I promise I never did anything....please Yan if you want I'll go back and say I've changed my mind"

Ianto turned round and grabbed Gwen's shoulder tightly. "Don't. You. Dare" he hissed. "We promised didn't we? He chose you, I'll accept after all plenty fish in the sea"

Gwen smiled sadly. "Doesn't stop you hurting"

"I'll get over it" Ianto said calmly. He bent down and kissed Gwen on her forehead. "I'm glad I lost to you and not to someone sluttish"

Gwen giggled. "I would have been happy to lose to you as well"

Ianto smiled and slipped an arm through Gwen as he led her back to the common room. He was careful to not look at Jack who was teasing Owen over some girl. Jack was beautiful, full of life and yet very mysterious to an extent. Something about Jack made Ianto blush and breath faster. It hurt to see Jack with someone but he knew Gwen would be careful to not rub it in his face. Gwen had been there for him for years, she loved him as a sister should and if it came down to it, Ianto might, just might pick her over Jack any day.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack followed Owen into the library where he saw a small Japanese girl sitting alone, glasses on as she read a textbook. Pretty but shy, he knew Toshiko Sato, the girl that ran from Gwen out of fright from anywhere. This was the girl that got Owen so flustered…Jack grinned; she was different from the sluttish girls Owen dated and liked her already.

"Hey Bookworm" Owen said causing her to stiffen. "It's my birthday soon and I got this party going on, I think you should come, you know to get away from all of those books" She blushed and gave Owen half a smile. Jack couldn't hear her answer but saw her mouth move. "Great, here's your invite"

Jack grinned at the excitement Owen was struggling to hide in his voice. "Do I get one or will my wonderful girlfriend here have to ask me out on another date?" Jack immediately lost his grin as he saw Adam Smith appear and drape an arm round a nervous Toshiko. "From your face I take it Toshiko will have to take me out, what do you say love?"

Tosh mumbled something and Jack noticed Owen's fist clench. "Fine!" Owen snarled. "Just be there in time or you'll miss out on the free drinks" Owen then marched off towards Jack muttering darkly under his breath. "Fucking prat…thinks he's all that…how dare he…and after Ianto too….stupid bint….should have…"

"Well she must be a goddess to get you all flustered" Jack drawled. "Beautiful, smart and loving otherwise you wouldn't be getting this jealous"

"I'm not jealous!" Owen shouted causing a few heads to be turned, the librarian hissed a shh and Owen flushed angrily. "I need to go" he grumbled before leaving the library, slamming the door shut.

Jack grinned again, yes Owen was jealous and if Jack wasn't mistaken there was a chance that Tosh liked Owen….now to get rid off Adam…


	6. Chapter 6

Tosh spotted Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones just ahead of her on Jack's street. Gwen's black hair was pulled back showing off her pale neck with her low cut top and black jeans while Ianto looked uncomfortable in what were obviously new jeans and a new shirt. Remembering what she had promised Dr Smith Tosh took a deep breath and walked up to the pair.

"Hello" she said shyly.

Gwen grinned showing off her gap. "Tosh! You look gorgeous sweetie"

"Spectacular" Ianto agreed.

Tosh blushed. "I was....i was...err...wondering....maybe...maybe...we could do lunch? Once a week...i mean when no one is busy with school work....if that's ok with you?"

Gwen's face looked like it was going to split in half she was smiling so much. She let out a little squeal and hugged Tosh quickly. "I was hoping you'd ask, wasn't sure if I should make the first move, I would love to have you sit with us at lunch. We miss you so much honey"

"You don't deserve to have lunch with my Toshiko" Ianto stiffened at the cold voice and Gwen whirled round to glare at Adam Smith. "Toshiko is obviously far more intelligent than the likes of you two, a spoilt society girl and a council tea boy. Toshiko needs people with actual class, people who understand quantum physics and poetry, people who are equal to her"

"People like you" Gwen said raising a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Yes" Adam said emptily. "People like me. Only me. Only I am worthy of her intellect"

"Go do a tree" Gwen said crudely before taking Ianto's hand and marching off into Jack's house.

Tosh suddenly felt very alone and wished she had Gwen's courage. Even if it was just to take Gwen's arm and walk into the loud and crowded party with her head held up proudly.

If only...

If only...

If only she wasn't such a coward.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack was worried about Owen.

The party was one of the best thrown this year. Everyone had come, everyone was having fun and everyone was getting drunk. Apart from a small handful who were still having fun anyway. Even Ianto had lightened up and joined Andy on the dance floor. Embarrassing Gwen, Emma and Carys with their awful seventies dance moves. Toshiko Sato, Owen's affections had spent her night sitting in a corner looking like a lamb heading towards the slaughterhouse with her so called boyfriend draped over her. Owen was on the other side of the room with a beer in one hand and Diane, his ex-girlfriend in another as he glared at Adam Smith. Owen wasn't even paying attention to Diane which proved something was wrong since he spent the whole year before moping over her.

Turning to face his date that was nicely snug in his arms, he bent down and quickly pecked her temple causing her to blush slightly. "Sorry darling but the birthday boy is sulking, I need to cheer him up"

"That's all right" Gwen said smiling up at him. "I'll find the girls, Emma is rather...innocent and Carys gets a little handsy drunk so I need to find them before some horny bastards do first"

Jack threw his head back and roared with laughter. He gave Gwen one last hug before bounding over to Owen's side. "Dude, if you want to dance with her you got to ask her first" Jack said pushing a huffy Diane out of the way and resting his elbow on Owen's shoulder. "Don't let scum like Smith put his slimy paws all over her. Show her what a real honest man is like"

Owen snorted. "Can you find one straight guy who's honest in this room?" he retorted taking a gulp of his beer. "Let's just get drunk, get laid and wake up with a hangover"

"But that's boring, I want excitement and breath taking moments sweetheart" Jack said in a teasing camp voice. "We never go out these days"

Owen pushed Jack off his shoulder but his lips twitched in amusement. The pair watched the others dance and chat animatedly in their drunken states. Gwen was leading a very drunken Carys towards the buffet table, her eyes scanning the room looking for Emma when suddenly Carys grabbed hold of Gwen's shoulder and whirled her round.

Owen couldn't get his mobile out any quicker. He grinned as he recorded Carys snog the life out of Gwen Cooper. "Brilliant Jack, best birthday present ever. Tell your date she can hang out with us any time if she brings a chick for a quick snog"

Jack glared at Owen and crossed his arms. "I wanted to be Gwen's kiss tonight" he grumbled, his lips pouting slightly.

Owen rolled his eyes. "Well just kiss her later; nothing is going to stop you"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Who invited you two losers?" Adam joked lightly when he went to get another beer and saw a stony-faced Suzie and Bilius. "Come on you two it's a party, lighten up a little"

"You're being too obvious in your little games" Suzie said coldly. "Again"

"So?"

"You will get caught" Bilius said in a slow deep voice. "And be expelled once more"

"And give up my little obsession?" Adam said sweetly. "A woman with looks of Aphrodite but the brains of Athena and the guts of a shy virginal peasant girl? No thank you, she's putty in my hands and I enjoy controlling her"

"Bastard" Suzie grumbled.

"Ah but at least she thinks she's in love with me, what about you Suzie Costello? Your little obsession has arrived on the arms of one man, spent the night in another mans and kissed a lovely sweetheart"

"She'll be mine eventually after I coax her over" Suzie snarled defensively.

"People are worthless. It is time and space and the power between it all we should be coveting not people" Bilius said disapprovingly.

"Whatever Bill" Adam said indifferently. "But just think Suzie, my way is working and yours isn't"

"Don't worry" Suzie said smirking. "I have so many new ideas"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was Monday and Owen thought he was going to die.

He had drunk so much that he could barely move the next day which was torturous since Jack had made him help clean up the mess leftover from the party. His head felt as if several atomic bombs had gone off inside which made Sunday hell since Jack wouldn't stop talking about his goodbye kiss with Gwen.

After cleaning up and falling asleep on Jack's sofa, Owen woke up on Monday morning still feeling shitty. However he was well enough to burrow Jack's computer and upload his favourite video on the internet for everyone to see. Snickering to himself he made breakfast for himself and Jack to eat on the way to school.

"My head is still hurting like hell" Owen complained. "I don't know how I'm going to survive any of my classes today"

"Let's see if it'll survive this" a voice screeched when suddenly an empty can hit Owen in the head. "Bastard!"

"Ouch! What the hell was that for bi-" Owen turned round to see a red-faced, furious Gwen Cooper who was glaring. "Skipper" Owen snarled. "What the fuck?"

"You posted that video of me and Carys this morning" Gwen hissed. "Everyone saw it!"

"What already?" Jack asked disbelievingly.

"Never underestimate teenagers and their use of laptops" Ianto said calmly pulling Gwen away from Owen before she strangled him, Andy slipping Gwen a coffee to calm her down with. "Someone sort it and immediately emailed it to everyone who emailed it to everyone who emailed it to everyone"

"So of course the whole of Cardiff knows" Jack said shaking his head.

"So I have rights to kill Owen Harper" Gwen said firmly.

"Sorry sweetheart but I want my best friend alive. You could always tear his left leg off, it can't kick right" Jack said grinning.

"Oh thanks" Owen muttered sarcastically.

Before anyone could say anything else. Whether Gwen to shout at Owen some more or Jack's teasing or Ianto and Andy trying to calm Gwen down. A loud, terrifying scream could be heard throughout the corridors.

Gwen's blood turned cold.

"Emma"


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Happy Birthday Lollzie, this is for you**

Gwen, Jack, Andy, Ianto and Owen rushed through the corridors accidentally knocking some year sevens along the way. Gwen, Andy and Ianto had the decency to apologise while Owen growled rude orders and hadn't even bothered to look back to see if the twelve year olds were all right. They had reached to a crowded corridor and began to fight their way through, once they had gotten through Gwen gasped at the sight.

Emma was completely fine, not a hair out of place however she was kneeling beside a door that had fallen down, sobbing loudly. A small pale hand laid there from under the door. Someone was under there.

"Gents help me pick this door up" Jack ordered whipping his coat off and rolling his sleeves up causing some year nines to sigh.

Owen rolled his eyes before grabbing his end of the door and pulling it up with a groan. The wooden door was fucking heavy. "CARYS!" Gwen shrieked as she ran to the crumpled body.

"Out of the way" Owen said firmly as he gently pushed Gwen away. He gently checked Carys' pulse and the patted down her body, gently grabbing hold of her arms and legs. "She has broken both legs and fractured a few ribs. Most likely has a concussion as well but don't worry she'll be fine" he said.

"I called an ambulance" Ianto said handing a handkerchief to Emma and then one to Gwen. "And Andy has gone to get a teacher, I'm surprised one didn't come running once they heard the screams"

"This schools been going downhill" Owen said.

"Yeah 'because you're in it" Jack said teasingly as he knelt beside Gwen and wrapped an arm round her. "All right darling?"

Gwen nodded, she then smiled at Owen. "You'll make a good doctor one day" she said.

Owen ducked his head to hide his blush. "Whatever" he muttered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Genius" Adam said admiringly watching the medics bundle Carys into the ambulance. "Sheer genius, unscrewing the door and making it look very accidental. But I do wonder how did you make sure it got Carys?"

"She put a sign saying it was out of bounds" Bilius said flicking with his fob watch not even bothering to watch the drama down below. "All the younger years avoided it"

"And she sent Carys through by saying a teacher needed her?" Adam said following the train of thought. "Very nice, so neat and accidental. No one could link it to you"

Suzie smirked. "I was discreet. Shame you can't be"

"Each to their own Suzie darling, each to their own"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"I don't think the door fell just on its own" Gwen said to the others as they made their way to their lockers. "Something doesn't feel right"

"It was probably a prank" Jack said looking disgusted. "Some kid thought it would be funny to unscrew the door not realising what it could do"

"Idiots" Andy muttered.

The others mumbled their agreements as Gwen began to twirl the dial into its familiar code. The moment she opened the door a piece of paper fluttered out, Gwen bent to pick it up only to have Jack beat her to it, he opened it up and read it out loud.

"Eyes shining like stars, skin glowing like moonlight you were truly a treat to look at, on Saturday night" a dark look crossed Jack's face as his crumpled the paper. "You got an admirer?" he said in a light teasing tone that sounded so realistic Gwen almost believed it.

"Since September" Andy said stepping to Gwen's side in case Jack did something funny. "It started of as roses then her favourite chocolate and now the note. We actually thought it was you"

"Nah I like to make a scene" Jack said chucking the paper over his shoulder. He then cupped Gwen's face and leaned down. "You're mine and I hate to share" he growled before crushing her lips with his.

Andy and Ianto tactfully turned round. Ianto felt a sinking sensation as the man he adored snogged his best friend, he felt sick and uneasy. Part of him desired to tear Gwen off of Jack by her hair and part of him wanted to punch Jack for practically violating his best friend. He was confused.

"So shall we visit Carys after school?" Andy said loudly trying to block out the sounds of Jack and Gwen who were getting quite...intimate. "We could go to a pound shop and buy her a load of rubbish to cheer her up, what do you think?"

A strange sound that sounded like a plunger being removed as Gwen pulled away. "Sounds great" she said breathlessly.

"Great, maybe you should try not making out with Jack where everyone can see" Owen drawled as he appeared from nowhere. "After all you don't want people calling you a tart with your girlfriend in hospital"

Gwen slapped Owen.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen closed the door shut gently and looked round the very clean hallway. He smiled. "Nana I'm home" he called out as he shrugged his jacket off and hung it up.

"Oh darling!" his grandmother exclaimed as she came out of the living room and hugged Owen tightly. "Look at you, all grown up. Did you have fun at little Jackie's house? You know you should invite the boy over more often. How was your party? Did you get lots of presents? Speaking of presents yours are on the coffee table, I even baked you a cake. You know in my day the coming of age was twenty one"

His grandmother was a whole foot smaller than him. She smelled of sweet flowers, was very frail and had short grey hair curling round her ears. She was the classic pink and pearly grandmother who was slightly scatterbrained. She was also his mother's mother, the only relative that wanted him.

"Yes the party was interesting" Owen said pecking his grandmother's cheek. "And I might have to tear Jack away from his girlfriend to get him here"

"Yes Jackie is always a ladies man isn't he? Have you found a lady yet Owen?"

"No...Not yet" Owen said trying to not think about Tosh. He has found himself thinking more and more fondly of the geek each day. "Now let's open presents"

He had a new hand-knitted jumper, a watch and a couple of medical text books. "I wasn't sure what to get you but since you were so determined to be a doctor I asked my own GP what he would recommend" his grandmother fussed as she handed him a slice of cake.

"They're great, thank you Nana" Owen said reassuringly. As usual his mother sent nothing. Neither did anyone else from the family, Jack have already given Owen some money in a rude card. So had the others in his year. There was however a blank envelope with a hundred pounds in notes in. "Nana you shouldn't have"

"Oh it's not from me dear" his grandmother said. "It's from your father; he came by over the weekend"

Owen's blood went cold.

His father.

The man he had never seen before in his life.

The man he supposed to look too much like.

The man that caused his mother to hate him.

The man that never wanted him.

Why?

Why now?

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Hi! How are you" Gwen said cheerfully to Carys who sat up in her hospital bed smiling weakly. "We brought you junk and loads of it. Emma said she'll swing by after her shift at the shop"

"Thank you" Carys said rummaging through the carrier bag to find lots of chocolate, fizzy pop, shampoo, conditioner, a miniature teddy and a cheesy romance novel. "Dad has just gone to get me proper PJs, I hate this hospital stuff. Doctors said I'll be fine, be out in a couple weeks though I need physiotherapy and wheelchairs for a while"

"But you're going to be fine and that's the important thing" Ianto said already fluffing up Carys pillows.

She giggled. "You're mothering me Yan"

"You worried us" Ianto said opening a coke and helping Carys sip it.

Just then a volunteer walked in with a bouquet of white orchards. "Here you go hon, there's a note shall I read it for you?"

"No that's all right, Andy can" Carys said pointing to Andy. "Thank you"

"You're welcome, I hope you get better soon" the volunteer left and Andy placed the flowers on Cary's bedside opening then note.

His breath hitched slightly. "Hope you learned your lesson. Stay away from Gwen" he read out loud.

The room sat in shock silence.


	8. Chapter 8

The front doors of the hospital were thrown open banging against the wall causing civilians walking past to jump. Gwen ran out of them and down the stairs, running as fast as she could with such desperation through the car park.

"GWEN!"

Jack ran out after her, his coat blowing behind him making him look almost like a superhero as he chased his girlfriend.

"GWEN!"

Gwen kept running blindly until she tripped over the cub and landed on her knees. She began to cry as Jack caught up and knelt beside her. He wrapped his arms round her and pulled her onto his lap.

"Shh, shh darling it's all right, it's going to be fine. She's fine, everyone is fine, there's nothing to worry about" Jack murmured comfortingly as he stroked her hair.

"But...but...it's my fault" Gwen sniffled. "Carys is in there because of me!"

"Did you unscrew the door?" Jack demanded.

"No but-"

"Then it isn't your fault" Jack said firmly. "It's some psycho's fault and we'll find out whom soon. I promise you darling, I'll keep you and your friends' safe" Gwen smiled weakly. "Now how about I treat you to some pizza?"

"Sounds good" Gwen mumbled as Jack helped her up.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was roughly seven o'clock when Jack finally got home. He had walked Gwen home after the pizza and had a very nice goodnight kiss before her father opened the front door, glaring at him until he left. The moment he opened the door Alice stumbled towards him, he grinned and grabbed hold of her swinging her up in the air.

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee dada! Fying!" Alice squealed throwing her arms up in the air. "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Jack chuckled and held her close to his chest. "Were you good?" he asked kissing her head.

"Yes" Alice said leaning up and putting a sloppy baby kiss on his chin. "Dada!"

"Jack?" his father walked in. "There you are. How was school?"

"Eventful, a classmate ended up in hospital so I visited her" Jack said slightly preoccupied with his daughter. "How was Gray?"

"On his best behaviour. Apparently the police have cautioned him a couple times over the summer and he's keeping his nose clean" his father said looking disappointed that one of his sons needed cautioning. "But he played with Alice and acted like a proper uncle"

"That's good" Jack said tickling Alice causing her to squeal. "You were good for Uncle Gray?"

"Yes!"

"Did Owen enjoy his party?" Jack's father asked. "You both cleaned up very well so I can't tell"

"Oh we trashed the place all right, it took all yesterday to clean" Jack said. "But he enjoyed it"

"That's good; we wanted Owen to have some fun. He is a good boy really. He just needed proper parenting"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Hey"

Gwen looked up to see Suzie sitting next to her. Her bushy brown hair tied back in a ponytail and reading glasses perched on her nose, she was holding Wuthering Heights the required reading for their pre-twentieth century module.

"Hey" Gwen mumbled.

"How are you?" Suzie asked putting a hand on Gwen's. "It must have been such a shock to see poor Carys like that"

"Yeah it was" Gwen said swallowing her mouth was now feeling rather dry. "Suzie...i think it was my fault"

"Oh sweetie how can it be your fault?" Suzie cooed softly. "You didn't unscrew the door"

Gwen smiled weakly.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen Harper hesitated at the door. He was requested to work with Dr Smith today for his community service. As much as he admired the man he didn't want to be the one to admit that Toshiko Sato was very much under Adam Smith's thumb. The thought of Adam Smith made him clench his fist, gritting his teeth he knocked on the door.

"Come in"

Owen entered the office. It was messy and cluttered with not only paperwork and books but with photographs as well.

"Sir"

"Owen, good, good come in, come in I had some tea and banana cake made just for you" Dr Smith said grinning as he waved Owen into a chair. "Now Owen what I'm going to do today is something a doctor should never do unless there's no other option"

Owen choked slightly on his tea. "S-sir?"

"Breaking a patient's confidentiality" Dr Smith said. "Something unethical but sometimes the best way to go"

"I don't understand sir"

"I fear she's in more danger than ever and I can trust you to look after her" Dr Smith took a sip of his tea. "Toshiko Sato is one of my patients"

Silence.

"You're fucking kidding me"

A bitter smile grew on Dr Smith's face. "I wish I was Owen. Toshiko has a habit of not talking to anyone. Every stress, every upset and every rage is suppressed to the point she breaks down. She's been in my care for the past year and she visits regularly for talks, last time she visited however...she mentioned....a boy..."

"Adam Smith" Owen spat out. "He's a fucking psycho; she shouldn't even be near him! He twists things, makes people think things that aren't their thoughts back in Year Eleven he did a lot of shit to Ianto Jones"

"Just as I suspected" Dr Smith said. "Keep an eye out Owen. Toshiko is a very intellectual girl and I have grown very fond of her. I don't wish to see her back in my ward"

"I understand sir" Owen said. "I'll do my best"

"That's all I ask" Dr Smith said smiling, he held out the plate of cake. "More banana cake, full of potassium"

Owen took a slice and took a bite. After he swallowed he looked around the room. "Lots of photos here" he observed. "Are they all your family?"

"Some. I lost most of my family but I have a picture of my step-siblings" Dr Smith handed a photo of a skinny brown haired man in a pinstripe suit and a redheaded woman giving him bunny ears. "Dr John Noble and his secretary Ms Donna Noble. Both very proud people, constantly bickering but then again Donna picks fights with everyone"

"Your step brother has the same first name as you" Owen noted with amusement.

"Yes it did cause confusion at home" Dr Smith said his eyes glittering with amusement. "This is Martha, she used to be one of my pupils and this is Mickey her boyfriend, he's in the military now and this is...this is Rose" Rose was a pretty blonde girl with warm brown amber eyes and a huge grin. "She's....she's my step brother's fiancée"

From his tone Owen realised that Dr Smith was probably in love with this woman. "Must be nice to have so much family and friends"

"Owen?" Dr Smith blinked.

"Dad buggered of ages ago. Mum didn't want anything to do with me. So it's just Nana, Me and Jack's the only real friend I ever had"

Dr Smith smiled. "One day Owen you're going to realise you have a lot more family and friends out there"

"And then I'll wake up from my coma" Owen muttered darkly causing Dr Smith to chuckle.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Tosh staggered through the corridors trying to keep hold of the pile of books in her arms while putting her file away in her bag. The world around her was either laughing or walking on; she didn't care right now she was too concentrated on her task.

A hand grabbed hold of her upper arm in a vice like grip.

"I said hello Toshiko" Adam said coldly. "Were you ignoring you're beloved"

"N-no" Tosh stuttered. "I was just putting my file away an-"

She was suddenly pinned to the locker, her books fell to the floor in a loud thump and it was then she realised everyone has gone to class leaving her alone with him. She attempted to scream when his hands went to her throat.

"This is my game, my rules, my prey" Adam hissed darkly. "You're supposed to be heads over heels in love with me not ignoring me"

His grip tightened and she could no longer breathe.


	9. Chapter 9

She was suddenly pinned to the locker, her books fell to the floor in a loud thump and it was then she realised everyone has gone to class leaving her alone with him. She attempted to scream when his hands went to her throat.

"This is my game, my rules, my prey" Adam hissed darkly. "You're supposed to be heads over heels in love with me not ignoring me"

His grip tightened and she could no longer breathe.

"Cuh..." she gasped. "Ada...m...ple...ase..."

"Please what Toshiko?" Adam said lightly as if he wasn't strangling her. "Please kiss you? Of course darling" he bent down and pressed his lips lightly against hers. Tears ran down her cheeks as her eyes fluttered shut.

"TOSHIKO!"

The pressure on her throat suddenly disappeared as she fell on the floor. Her eyes shot open to see him breathing heavily, fury written in his eyes as he uncharacteristically swung a punch at Adam sending him flying on the floor.

"Ianto" she whispered rather shocked.

"How dare you?" Ianto spat out. "How dare you harm someone like Toshiko?"

"Me?" Adam said innocently as he stood up. "I didn't do anything. I believe it was you" he brushed down his clothes and pushed his hair out of his face. "Oh Ianto, Ianto, Ianto nothing I ever do seems to stop your violent ways. First all those girls in Year Eleven and now poor Toshiko, my beloved"

"You liar" Ianto said weakly. "I didn't do anything, like I never did anything in Year Eleven. You're making it up again"

Adam patted Ianto's arm. "It's ok Ianto, I'm here. We'll cover this up like the last time after all what are friends for? Toshiko won't tell anyone that sweet innocent Ianto is actually a violent rapist"

"NO!"

"Oi Smith" the three turned to see Owen marching down the corridor. "I've had enough of you" he then punched Adam in the jaw sending the redheaded teen flying. "That was for Toshiko" he kicked Adam hard in the stomach. "That's for Ianto" he then sat down firmly on Adam and crossed his arms. "And when the police get here every single girl you harmed will have their little piece of justice as well"

"Ianto!"

Ianto turned slightly to see Gwen, Andy and Jack run down the corridor with a teacher. Gwen flung her arms round his neck and held him tightly.

"Oh sweetie you're shivering" she said pulling away.

"Here" Andy said taking his coat off and draping it over Ianto's shoulders. "Come on Yan we'll take you to the staff room Miss said we could"

"How did you know?" Ianto whispered.

"I saw you run down and immediately went for the others. Gwen and Andy weren't that far and we're discussing their assignment with Miss Faraday over there" Jack said pulling out a chocolate bar. "Here, for the shock"

"Mr Smith" the teacher shrieked. "You will definitely be expelled for this, mark my words the Headmaster won't stand for this and Mr Harper must you keep bouncing on him? He's not a bouncy castle for Pete's sake"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The police, Headmaster, parents and members of the school government all came in at various times. Ianto's, Tosh's, Gwen's, Owen's, Andy's and Jack's statements were taken and Adam was escorted of the premises. Unfortunately there wasn't much the police can do but file in a restraining order for the school, Tosh and Ianto and caution Adam.

Tosh sat silently in the reception waiting for her mother when Owen sat down next to her; her crossed his arms and glared at the wall. "For someone smart you're very stupid you know that?" he said. "You should have told him where to stuff it yonks ago"

"I...I...I..."

"It's all right, you were overwhelmed I get it" Owen interrupted calmly. "Just next time come to me or Gwen or Ianto or someone, ok?"

"Ok" Tosh whispered looking down at her lap.

"Jeeze what a week. First Carys now this what's next? One of the teachers jumping off the roof, hey I put a fiver it's the Headmaster"

Tosh giggled slightly and Owen smirked as the Headmaster gave him a disapproving look. "If I were to jump off the roof Mr Harper it's because you finally pushed me over the edge. You're dismissed. Miss Sato, your mother is here"

"Later Bookworm, you take care of yourself yeah?" Owen said getting up, grabbing his bag and leaving with a very confident swagger.

"That boy will be the death of me" the Headmaster said shaking his head. "Ms Sato, you may come in and we can talk here if you like"

Tosh fidgeted nervously as her mother ran in and hugged her tightly. "Toshiko-Chan why didn't you tell me?" she said in heavily accented English. "I could have helped somehow"

"I'm sorry Okaa-San" Tosh whispered. "I was unsure and..."

"How about a holiday, ne?" her mother suggested. "Edinburgh is having an opening day for their university. We leave Friday night and come back Monday morning. We can look at museums, do a little shopping, talk and do whatever you like. How does that sound?"

"Good...i would like that" Tosh whispered.

Her mother beamed and helped her up. "Lets go out for dinner tonight, a new Chinese place opened in the centre you might like that"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen was walking down a street when he noticed a car practically crawling down the street. It was a black one with tinted windows so he couldn't see who was in there. He sped up his walk and turned round a corner, convinced the car would turn the opposite direction.

No such luck.

He ran down the street and the car sped up.

He ducked into an alleyway and took the back roads till he was on Jack's street.

The car was gone.

Owen collapsed on the pavement, panting. "Bugger" he grumbled. "Not me too" he looked up at the sky. "Don't you people have a life?" he shouted at the sky.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Ianto?"

His bedroom door opened and Rhiannon peered in. She smiled weakly but he didn't acknowledge her, merely stared blankly up at her from his curled up position on his bed. Her hair was done up, ready for her date with Johnny Davis, her sparkly date outfit was on but her face was clean from make up.

"Hey sweetie budge up" she murmured climbing on his bed, Ianto rolled over so his back was to her. She sighed but wrapped an arm round him, resting her head against his shoulder. "You know Dad doesn't mean it. He just had a hard day at work and then to get that phone call about you..."

"He's right though. I am pathetic. I am a wimp. And I am most likely gay" Ianto said quietly.

"Jack Harkness?" Rhiannon asked. "I've seen you looking at him, I can't blame you darling that is one fine piece of meat" Ianto's lips twitched in amusement. "But just because you're attracted to men doesn't mean you're pathetic or wimpy. What Adam Smith did to you was disgusting, Johnny has already offered to beat that scum up and I'll give him the go ahead tonight"

"No, don't" Ianto said. "He's not worth it"

"And Dad's not worth this moping, so get up and have some dinner and show the world how amazing Ianto Jones can be"

"All right, get up then"

Rhiannon rolled off the bed allowing Ianto to sit up and smooth his shirt and fix up his tie.

"Hey Rhiannon"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks"

"No problem hon, what are big sisters for?"


	10. Chapter 10

They knocked on the door. Gwen standing there calmly with pizza boxes in her hands while Andy shifted nervously watching everything around them cautiously. There were too many guys in hoodies hanging around the streets to his unease, why on earth did someone like Ianto live on an estate? Andy will never know.

The door opened and a man who looked very much like Ianto though taller and bulkier glared at him. "Ah hello Gwen, here for Ianto?" he asked friendly not acknowledging Andy at all.

"Yes sir, I had a feeling after today Ianto wouldn't be eating so I brought some pizzas over" Gwen said sweetly.

"Ianto hasn't left his room since this afternoon so it's very much appreciated, come in, come in" Ianto's father ushered them in and closed the door firmly. "You know the way Gwen" he said before heading back into the living room.

"Why is it that Ianto's Dad never speaks to me?" Andy complained in a whisper. "What have I ever done to him? I mean I've been polite and I've never done anything rude or criminal"

"Mr Jones thinks you're gay that's why" Gwen whispered as they walked up the stairs. "He's one of those macho men who like all sports, beer and boobs. Since Ianto hasn't really had an interest in any of those things..."

"But I'm not gay!" Andy protested. "I'm not even camp!"

Gwen snorted. "Sure honey whatever you believe"

Andy spluttered as they opened Ianto's bedroom door. "Ianto, tell Gwen I'm neither gay nor camp" he said flipping his blonde hair out of his eyes and putting his hands on his hips.

Ianto raised an eyebrow. "Hello, how are you? Me? I'm fine thank you for knocking" Ianto said sarcastically.

"Oh stop your whinging" Gwen said sitting on Ianto's bed and passing him a pizza box. "I brought you dinner"

"I'm not h-"

"Eat it or I'll force feed you" Gwen threatened.

Ianto's lips twitched in amusement. Once again his friends proved to be the most loving and loyal people there were. As the night continued he ate his pizza and helped Gwen tease an annoyed Andy who kept insisting he wasn't camp.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"This little piggy went to market; this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none. And this little piggy went... Wee, wee, wee all the way home..." Jack chanted in a sing song voice as he played with Alice's toes.

Alice giggled and squirmed on the floor; Owen rolled his eyes and grinned. "You're such a father Jack" he said teasingly.

"I know and I am very proud of it" Jack said scooping Alice up and blowing a raspberry on her stomach. "She's my pride and joy. One day she'll grow up to be beautiful as me"

Owen snorted. "Hopefully not as modest as you" he muttered.

"Play nice Owen Harper" Mrs Harkness scolded lightly as she ruffled Owen's hair. She then scooped Alice out of Jack's arms and tickled her chin. "Bath time for you young lady and maybe if you're very good Uncle Owen and Daddy will read you a bedtime story"

"Yay! 'Ncle 'wen!" Alice cheered.

"Don't get too excited duckie or you won't sleep and I can't take a grumpy girl to the shops when we got out finding your costume" Mrs Harkness warned gently.

"She's not going trick n treat" Jack said firmly. "I don't want my baby girl to get cavities before she finishes growing her first set of teeth"

Mrs Harkness laughed. "Listen to him being all responsible" she said to Owen with a wink. "Don't worry Jack it's only for a preschool party not too many sweets there"

She left the room giggling to herself while Jack looked thoughtful. "Speaking of Halloween" Jack said turning to Owen. "What are we doing?"

"I thought the usual. Go to mine with pizza and beer and watch horror films" Owen said with a shrug.

"Yeah but...well it gets a bit boring...lets spice it up" Jack said a mischievous grin on his face.

"How?" Owen asked suspiciously.

"Let's invite Gwen, Andy, Ianto and Tosh!"

"Oh hell no"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

He really, really, really hates Jack Harkness. After he rejected Jack's idea the man kept insisting. They ended up arguing which quickly turned into a wrestle fight and guess who won?

"Hey Bookworm"

Yeah Jack Harkness won.

Tosh looked up slightly startled, she instantly looked relieved that it was him as her shoulders relaxed and she smiled weakly up to him.

"Hi" she murmured shyly.

Owen sat himself in the chair next to her, his knees accidentally brushing against hers causing her to blush. "What are you doing on Halloween?" he asked.

"Err...well...erm...nothing" Tosh admitted.

"Good, you, I, Jack and the three musketeers are going to have pizza, beer and horror films at my place then" Owen said satisfied. He saw a flicker of uncertainty and fright cross Tosh's face and his satisfaction died out quickly. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing" Tosh whispered looking down at her hands.

"Don't lie Toshiko, I told you if something is up you come to me. What's wrong?"

"I...i...i...never...really...well...watched a horror film before" Tosh confessed, her cheeks stained pink and her eyes wide with fright. "Or drink beer"

Owen bit his lip to stop a laugh. "Don't worry so much" he said patting her hand awkwardly. "You don't have to drink beer there'll be other refreshments and if you get scared you got us to cling on to, yeah?"

Tosh nodded. "Thank you" she whispered.

"No problem" Owen said with a shrug.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Adam looked up from the book he was reading to see Suzie and Bilius standing at his doorway. He sighed. "You're late, I thought you would come to yell at me last night" he said mildly as he looked back at his book.

"We're not going to bother yelling" Bilius said flatly.

"We just came to say we're cutting all ties with you" Suzie said just as flatly. "You got cocky and fucked things up and I want nothing to do with you"

"Anything to protect your chances of going to university or is this about your chances with your obsession?" Adam asked tauntingly.

"Shut up" Suzie snapped. "From now on you're nothing to us. There will be no MSN conversations, no debates, no meeting up outside of school and no phone calls. Our friendship is now non-existent"

"I wasn't aware we had one" Adam said coldly. "I thought all we had was an alliance against the rest of the school"

"Not any more" Bilius said.

Adam waited until he heard the front door to shut which took a while since Suzie and Bilius were taking their time on the stairs, chatting politely to his mother. The moment the front door shut he ripped his paperback book in half and whirled round to punch the wall.

He was all alone now.


	11. Chapter 11

"This has become a regular thing now" Andy said pushing a blonde lock out of his face.

"What has?" Gwen asked while Ianto turned to stare at Andy curiously.

"Delivering pizza to other people's houses. The pizza place is going to hire us any day now" Andy said knowingly.

Ianto rolled his eyes and Gwen decided to ignore Andy in favour of Owen Harper's front door that had just been opened by an elderly woman. The elderly woman smiled at them. "Oh you must be Owen's little friends. Come in; come in its freezing out there. I don't know how those little children cope going round outside asking for sweeties" she picked up a bowel filled with toffees. "Would you like one? They're for the children but you can have one"

"No thank you Mrs...?"

"Oh you can just call me Nana dear, Jackie does. The boys and the quiet Japanese girl are upstairs in Owen's room. Upstairs first on the right"

Gwen and the others followed Nana's instructions, the moment the sweet elderly lady was out of hear shot Andy began to chuckle. "Jackie? Does she mean Jack? I didn't realise he was female. Out of luck there Gwen" he teased.

"I have you know that Jackie is a perfectly good name for a very manly man" Jack said lightly from the doorway, his arms crossed as he leaned against the frame. "And Nana is a sweet lady, who would want to upset her?"

"Hi, I brought the pizza" Gwen said kissing Jack's cheek. "How come Owen's grandmother lives here?"

"Because she's my guardian you nosey cow" Owen grumbled from the bed, Tosh sitting beside him looking very embarrassed and unsure with herself. "My parents never gave a damn about me. The end, can we watch the movie now?"

"Sorry" Gwen said nibbling on her lip.

Owen shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Movie, now"

Jack rolled his eyes at Owen's impatience before putting the DVD on, Gwen flicked the lights off and the six of them sat on Owen's bed which was fortunately a double. Dracula 2000 was a rather badly done horror compared to most, however it had enough things to make people jump and most of the group were definitely jumping. Andy was clinging to Ianto's wrist, his nails digging in tightly much to Ianto's discomfort, Gwen was clinging tightly to Jack's shirt while resting her head against his shoulder and Tosh was buried completely into Owen, muffling her shrieks into his shirt. While Ianto ignored Andy and Jack merely wrapped an arm round Gwen, Owen couldn't let Tosh remain terrified and turned the DVD on.

"Flick the lights back on will you?" Owen asked Jack in a bored tone. Who pulled away from Gwen to do so. "Let's eat and chat instead, that film was shit"

Tosh pulled away slightly and smiled up at him gratefully while Andy complained loudly. Gwen knocked Andy telling him to shut up while Ianto passed out drinks to everyone, varying between soft ones and alcoholic depending on the person.

"Let's tell a story instead" Jack said jumping back on the bed and picking up a pizza box, helping himself to a slice. "Come on I'll tell you the tale of the haunted car"

"That's Christie by Stephen King" Ianto said frowning.

"Yeah be a little original Jack" Owen scoffed.

"Ok" Jack grinned. "Once there lived a police officer. Nothing special just an ordinary girl with a boring boyfriend and an average job. One stormy night a murder had been committed and the crime scene was closed off for a special secret team. The girl being curious climbed up onto a fire escape and watched them...bring the person back to life"

Everyone laughed at Jack's dramatic spooky tone and sat there listening as he told how the girl kept following the people who brought the murder victim back to life using a glove and how she was killed by one of them who went psycho. After Jack Ianto took over and told them a gruesome story about a man who had a half robot girlfriend hidden in the basement. The robot girlfriend went psycho and killed the man's friends and then the man before taking over the world. Andy then jumped in with a very detailed story of an alien that got a woman pregnant by biting her, the next day she was nine months pregnant and it was her wedding day, the others shuddered at the thought of her laying there in her white dress all torn up and covered in blood once Andy had finished telling the tale. Gwen then told a creepy story about a group of friends gone camping near a village and each one of them went missing one by one. It was discovered later by the police that the teenagers had all been eaten by the villagers. Tosh then surprisingly spoke up and told a story about a mind-manipulator that destroyed a group of friends by making them believe everything. They ended up alive because they erased their memories of the two days but with one of them suffering flashbacks of his dead family, another believing he was a murderer, one forgot her boyfriend, and the other lost his self-confidence and another believed she was in love with the manipulator. It was enough to give everyone the shivers, all thinking about Adam. The story had hit a little too close to home.

"My turn" Owen said breaking the tense silence. "Now my story is a true urban myth. It's been rumoured for decades that in the sewers of Cardiff live the most hideous, primitive creatures anyone has seen called the-"

"Owen" there was a knock on the door and the boys tried to cover their snickers at the inappropriate timing of Owen's grandmother. "Owen dear it's time for your friends to go, it's almost midnight"

"Ok Nana, just a minute. You go ahead and get some sleep" Owen called back before shooting a glare at the others.

"Thank you for having us" Tosh whispered politely as she slipped her coat on.

"Yeah Owen, we had fun. Should do this again" Gwen agreed.

"If you want some help tiding up-"

"Nah it's all right" Owen interrupted Ianto. "You lot bugger off. I'll see you in school"

"K, bye Owen"

"Later mate"

"Goodbye"

"See ya"

"Goodnight"

The front door slammed shut as all of Owen's friends finally left the house. Owen wandered up and turned left into his grandmother's room where she sat comfortable in her bed. He smiled weakly as he passed her, her tablets and helped her drink her water.

"You shouldn't have waited up Nana" Owen chided gently. "If you're tired then go straight to bed. I would have made sure the others would leave in time"

"Now Owen dear I wouldn't be a proper grandmother if I didn't care would I?" Nana said softly. "They're good people Owen. You have very good friends"

"Yeah...probably too good for me" Owen muttered before kissing his grandmother's head. "Goodnight"

"Night, night dear"


	12. Chapter 12

Owen stared at the computer screen with a frown.

Nothing. There was nothing there and it was starting to agitate him, of course he knew it would take a while which is why he handed his in early. He needed an answer and wanted it soon. Desperately wanted it to be quick and painless.

"Checking out your UCAS?" Jack asked from behind causing Owen to jump.

"Bloody hell Harkness, do I have to put a bell on you or something?" Owen snarled shutting the window close and logging off quickly.

"It's far too early to start checking your UCAS" Jack said casually as Owen stood up. "Deadlines to hand it in isn't till November"

"Not for Medicine" Owen muttered.

"Ah"

They walked out of the library in silence.

"You know despite your behaviour you'll get in especially with your high-ranking grades" Jack said in an attempt to comfort Owen. "Where did you apply to?"

"All over the place" Owen said vaguely. "Now what are we planning for Bonfire Night?"

"You know I don't understand the concept of that, what's the point in celebrating a day where your king hung a man?"

"What's the point in Fourth of July?" Owen shot back.

"Point taken, we'll think of something for both days now the reason I went looking for you-"

"Because you miss my company?"

"Ha, ha no. Gwen and I are going out on our first date tonight and I wanted the name of that restaurant. You know the new one that had opened up recently"

Owen frowned. "Hang on haven't you two been going out for the past three weeks?"

"Funny enough Owen I wouldn't count the times we've been together as a date"

"You make out in the corridors and yet don't go on a date? Jesus the pair of you are easy"

Jack lightly punched Owen's arm. "Oh shut up you wanker"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"So then of course we ended up having a wrestling match right there in the corridor causing the teacher to send us to the Headmaster" Jack finished off telling the story of this afternoon's events to Gwen. "Didn't give us detention...well he can't anymore but he did threaten to take me off the football team"

Gwen scooped up the chocolate mouse that she had chosen for desert and blissfully ate it before speaking. "Be a bit pointless kicking you off the team. They would only lose every game"

"Yeah and we know how our school prides itself in football" Jack said grinning.

"So how does Owen know this place?" Gwen asked scanning the room quickly with wonder. It was cheap yet held the air of the most posh restaurant in those cheesy romance films. "It doesn't seem to be his type of thing"

"Owen has girlfriends, he knows how to impress when he wants to" Jack shrugged.

"I guess...to be honest I never really saw him more than an irritating troublemaker" Gwen confessed.

"Don't worry he is" Jack laughed. "But he's a good guy really"

"Yeah"

The pair grinned at each other and were content to remain silent. It had been a good evening, Jack arrived in time to have Gwen's father almost threaten him when Gwen's mother ran interference and declared Jack to be perfect for her daughter. Gwen herself looked gorgeous, her dark hair was curled as she chose an emerald green off-shoulder silk top and black jeans. The dinner went smoothly and desert was almost finished, Jack planned to walk her along the docks before going on and hopefully have a few goodnight kisses.

After paying the bill Jack helped Gwen put her coat on using it as a chance to kiss her neck tenderly. "I love being with you" he whispered causing her breath to hitch.

Her hand grabbed his, keeping it on her waist and she rested her head against his shoulder, her lips waiting for a kiss. "I love being with you too" she said softly.

He kissed her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The next morning Jack was cheerfully feeding Alice, his arm held high with the spoon filled with baby food as he made airplane noises. "Open up for the big airplane Alice" Jack said as the spoon swooped closer to her lips. She opened and sucked the food off the spoon. "That's my princess, ready for a train?"

"Yay!" Alice squealed, yellow food flying out of her mouth.

"Speak without food in your mouth darling" Jack chided as he tapped her nose.

"Hello son, good date?" Jack's father asked as he entered the room, immediately going for the coffee pot.

"Brilliant, everything went to plan and I think it's going somewhere" Jack said cheerfully.

His father smiled. "Nice to see you settling down somewhat. Does she know about Alice?"

Jack's smile faded slightly. "No...Not yet...i don't know how to tell her"

Jack's father frowned slightly. "Well tell her soon otherwise it might go all wrong" Jack nodded and went back to feeding Alice. "Oh Jack before I forget I found this on the doormat" his father placed an envelope with Jack's name done in cut-out letters from the newspaper. "Another admirer I think"

"These English girls are crazier than America" Jack said winking as he opened the envelope. "Let's see how charming this one thinks I am...ooh I wonder if they'll say my eyes are deeper and bluer than the ocean like last month"

His father rolled his eyes and left the room with coffee at hand. Several pictures fell out of the envelope all of Jack and Gwen on their date last night. However Jack's face had been scribbled out, a piece of paper also fell out with the typed words in angry bold black capitals saying:

**STAY AWAY, SHE'S MINE NOT YOURS!**

Jack gritted his teeth. He was tempted in scrunching the paper up and chucking it in the bin but decided otherwise. He slipped it into the envelope and decided to find out just where Gwen's ex Rhys Williams lived.

It was the only conclusion he could come up with.

Gwen and Rhys had been together for five years until over the summer. And while Jack is sure that Rhys is a nice bloke he was very aware of Rhys' possessiveness streak. Once when Jack did some casual flirting with Gwen last year Rhys went nuts and punched him. He had a black eye for a week.

He hoped he was wrong but no one else had loved Gwen to this extreme and Rhys might possibly have the answer to what happened to Cary because Jack knows for sure after that note it wasn't an accident.

It annoyed Jack that the only one with possible answers was Rhys Williams.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm coming, I'm coming" Rhys shouted at the door. Someone was banging impatiently and it was beginning to get annoying. "Jeeze hold your horses will ya?" He opened the door and a fist appeared out of no where hitting him straight in the nose. "FUCK!" Rhys screeched clutching his nose as he suddenly got pinned to the wall.

"Rhys Williams, who the fuck do you, think you are?"

Rhys blinked several times. There stood over him, breathing down his neck and eyes filled with icy fury was Jack Harkness Captain of the football team. The charming, handsome man that Rhys had been jealous of for a very long time because he knew Gwen adored him. Now he was plain terrified of him.

"Me? What about you, charging in like a madman?" Rhys squawked.

"Do you think Gwen will come back if you threaten me?" Jack snarled. "That she would love you if you killed Carys? That she would do anything for you if you keep slipping roses and chocolates and notes into her locker?"

"M-m-mate I have no idea what you're on about" Rhys choked out. "I haven't seen Gwen since the summer; I got a new girlfriend now!"

Jack loosened his hold on him. "You have? Who?"

"Ruth! Her names Ruth! She's a secretary at the place I'm working at, very nice always giving me cakes" Rhys babbled fearfully.

Jack let him go and he slumped on floor. "Oh" Jack said quietly, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry mate, got the wrong person then"

"Really?" Rhys said sarcastically.

Jack pulled out a packet of tissues and passed them to Rhys. "You got a bloody nose" he said apologetically. "I really am sorry. Gwen's got some psycho on her case and since you were her ex-"

"I get the picture Harkness" Rhys mumbled as he pulled out a tissue and wrapped it round his nose. "I understand. Don't like it but I got it. Just go away please"

"Erm...ok" Jack walked to the front door when he whirled round. "Hey maybe you, me, Ruth and Gwen could go on a double date sometime, it'll be fu-"

"JUST GO!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack sighed heavily as he attempted to finish his homework. He wasn't really into it and he felt guilty for punching Rhys. The guy was all right if not a tad boring and a bit possessive but he definitely didn't deserve the punch if he wasn't the stalker. Jack also knew there was no way that Rhys was lying; the guy couldn't lie for toffee.

A small beep told him he got a new email, hoping it was Gwen confirming tonight's plans or Owen telling him what an idiot he was while giving homework help he opened it.

_Good idea checking the ex out, however it's not him. It's me. Try and work it out all you like Captain but Gwen is mine and you will stay away from her. Sooner or later. _

The email address didn't give any clue to who it was. In fact he couldn't recognise it either. He could ask Gwen but then it would scare her if she knew her secret admirer had gone to the extreme. Again. Deleting the email Jack swore to himself that he would find out who it was.

Even if it killed him.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

_WOOSH, WOOSH, WOOSH, BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Wow it's gorgeous!" Gwen shouted over the loud exploding sounds of the fireworks. The sky was filled with emerald green, bright pink and sapphire blue with warm orange and glittering white appearing ever so often.

"Definitely" Ianto agreed holding up his flask. "Coffee?"

"Yes please" Gwen and Andy chorused together holding up their plastic cups.

"I have to say Ianto, you're a brilliant coffeemaker" Jack said causing Ianto to blush.

"T-t-thank you" Ianto murmured as he poured Gwen and Andy their coffee, adding Andy's milk and sugar in. "I enjoy coffee"

Owen raised his eyebrows but decided to not comment while the others laughed lightly causing Ianto to blush even more. The fireworks continued for another half hour and the group of friends were content sitting together watching them. When it was obvious it ended, Gwen pulled out a box of sparklers.

"They're for babies" Owen said crossing his arms.

"Then they're perfect for you" Gwen shot back as she shoved a sparkler in his hands.

Jack lit them up and Owen was very happy writing swearwords in the air while Ianto did his name, Andy drew pictures and Gwen and Jack wrote compliments to each other much to everyone's annoyance.

"Can't you two not flirt, for one night?" Andy complained as his bunny faded into thin air.

"Oi Bookworm, why aren't you doing anything?" Owen asked Tosh who sat there numbly holding the sparkler away from her. "You're not scared are you?"

Tosh shook her head. "Never played with them before" she whispered.

Her sparkler fizzed out and she dropped it. Owen sighed and took another one out; he lit it up and slipped it into Tosh's hand, his hand over hers firmly as he moved it up into the air. He slowly spelt out Tosh in wonky capitals.

"Tosh" she whispered. Rather surprised.

"It's your name, right?" Owen said rolling his eyes.

She nodded numbly, a small smile forming as the others grinned at her their eyes as bright as the fireworks before.

Tosh.

She was Tosh. Part of this group of friends.

She was no longer Toshiko. The lonely little girl with the books.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The phone was ringing in the empty flat. It was dark, clean and very spotless. No one was in and no one planned to be home for a while. The phone kept ringing. Then the answering machine kicked in.

Rich Japanese accented English filled the room.

"Hello this is the Sato home, no one is in right now but please honour us with a message and we'll try to return your call"

"_Toshiko? It's Dr Smith, I'm calling on an important matter....i don't know if I should say this to the machine but you should know. Its Mary...she died about 45 minutes ago, heart attack. It was the fireworks they scared her and her heart was too weak...I'm so sorry Toshiko..."_

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen was walking down her street alone. Normally she would have Jack as company but a family emergency had pulled him away. Ianto and Andy both had to be home at a certain time and Owen was too busy walking a very nervous Tosh home. It was dark and the street was quiet, no fireworks here.

A wind blew and she shivered, zipping up her jacket and wishing Ianto's coffee was there or even better Jack's arm so she could cuddle up to him.

She stiffened and stopped.

For a moment she thought she heard footsteps, shaking her head she carried on walking. Her pace a little faster than normal.

The footsteps sped up.

She walked faster and faster, practically running, her hands shaking as she shoved the key into the front door, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind her. She slumped against the door and panted heavily.

"Gwen? Is that you? Are you ok darling?" her mother called from upstairs.

"Just...just my imagination" Gwen murmured and she wrapped her arms round herself. "Yes Mum I'm fine" she called out.

It was just her imagination....right?


	14. Chapter 14

"There, there fireworks all gone" Mrs Harkness said comfortingly as she patted Alice's back and held her close. "Nothing to be scared off now"

Suddenly the door shot open and Jack staggered in looking breathless. As if he had been running all the way from the park which he probably had, her son was rather dramatic when he wanted to be.

"What happened? Is she ok? Did someone try to hurt my baby?!" Jack said loudly causing Alice to start crying again, Mrs Harkness sighed as Jack scooped Alice up into his arms. "There, there princess, Daddy is here now. He'll keep all the nasty noises and mean monsters away from you"

"Dada" Alice sniffled clinging to Jack while Mrs Harkness rolled her eyes reframing for pointing out that he was the one that made her cry.

"Would my little princess want to sleep with Daddy tonight so he can keep the mean monsters away from you?" Jack suggested softly. Alice nodded and clung tighter to Jack who bent down and kissed her forehead. "Come on then it's far too late for you to be sitting up, what was Granny thinking hmm?"

Mrs Harkness was wondering if she dropped Jack one time too many as a baby.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Tosh entered the cold and dark flat, sighing as she noticed her mother's room to be empty as well. Once again her mother was too busy working; she probably fell asleep on her desk again and wouldn't be home till tomorrow night. Flicking the lights on and starting the kettle for once last cup of tea Tosh made her way towards the answer machine, hoping her mother left a message.

"You have two messages" the electronic voice said. "Message one"

_BEEP!_

"_Toshiko-Chan, I am afraid I have to work overtime. There is a project due in soon and most of the staff has gone home for a celebration night. Help yourself to whatever is left in the freezer and get to bed on time. I am sorry for not being there maybe tomorrow I can leave early to make dinner. Goodnight Toshiko-Chan"_

"Message two"

_BEEP!_

"_Toshiko? It's Dr Smith, I'm calling on an important matter....i don't know if I should say this to the machine but you should know. Its Mary...she died about 45 minutes ago, heart attack. It was the fireworks they scared her and her heart was too weak...I'm so sorry Toshiko..."_

"No" Tosh whispered shaking her head. "No...No...No...NO!" she screamed falling to the floor clutching her head, trembling as she sobbed. "Mary, no you can't be!"

Mary can't be dead. Mary should be getting better, Dr Smith and the nurses were making sure she was eating...right? Mary was on her way to reaching normal weight, Dr Smith said so himself last week....

"No...Not Mary" Tosh whispered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Last night was fun, wasn't it?" Andy chirped cheerfully as he bounced along the corridor. "Those sparklers were hilarious, the fireworks were good and we also had Ianto's super brilliant coffee"

"Yeah it was great" Gwen and Owen mumbled not really listening.

Jack just grinned and Ianto blushed and refused to say anything. "What the hell is wrong with you two?" Andy complained. "Both of you look like your dog just died or something...oh god your dogs didn't die did they?!"

"No you blonde twerp" Owen snarled. "I'm just trying to prevent myself from committing homicide because you're annoying chirpiness is bugging me"

Gwen smacked Owen's arm. "Don't be mean to him, he's trying to lighten the mood" she shouted, she turned to Andy with a fake smile. "Nothing to worry about hon, I just had a rough night sleeping"

Jack draped an arm round Owen. "What's up with you grumpy guts...ooh I think I know! Is it Tosh? Our beautiful delicate Toshiko isn't here and you feel lonely without her. You miss her! You looooooooooooooooooove her! You wanna be with her don't you Owen?"

Owen elbowed Jack in the ribs causing him to double over. "Oh piss off Jack" Owen growled before marching off.

Owen gritted his teeth and clenched his fist trying to not let what Jack said get to him...he didn't love Toshiko Sato...but he did miss her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen ran up the stairs. He had been on the Children's Ward, helping the nurses give the children their medication and dinner when a pager went off asking for Owen to go to the psychiatric ward to report to Dr Smith. Tosh. It had to be about Tosh. Did she have a relapse? Did she get into an accident on her way home? His heart was beating heavily with worry and he was furious, wasn't Adam enough shit for this year?

He whirled round to the next staircase sharply and froze.

Tosh.

She was sitting near sobbing, her face buried in her hands and her whole body trembling with distress. He took a deep, slow breath and sat down beside her, putting an arm round her shoulder and pulling her close to him. She turned her face and cried into his shirt.

"M-M-M-M-Mary!"

He patted her on the back and held her tightly until she finally stopped crying. He then pulled out a tissues and handed it to her, pulling away to give her space to blow her nose and wipe her tears away.

"What happened to Mary?" he asked softly.

"Died....last night..." Tosh whispered.

"Oh Tosh I'm so sorry" Owen whispered.

Tosh shook her head. They sat there in silence for a while.

"It must be hard" Owen said finally. "To lose someone that had been with you through your roughest moment of life"

Tosh froze, her eyes widened. "What?" she whispered more to herself than Owen, she looked up at him. "You knew? About....about..."

"About your breakdown...yeah" Owen admitted not looking at her but at the floor.

"I see" Tosh said numbly standing up. "You were being nice out of pity"

"What?!" Owen roared shooting up and towering over Tosh. "Are you bloody mental?"

"Yes I am!" Tosh shrieked. "You read my file haven't you?"

"No I bloody well haven't you mad cow" Owen snarled. "Dr Smith told me out of worry, he thought Adam would do you more damage than good and asked me to protect you"

"So you only saved me because you were asked to?"

"No I saved you because I care about you! Goddamnit Tosh you're smart, sweet, kind and beautiful. I don't deserve that in my life, I don't deserve you as my friend but I want to be there for you! I want to be able to look out for you like Jack looks out for me. I want your friendship"

Tosh stood there wide eyed and trembling. "I...I...I" she whispered, her hands clenching and unclenching trying to grasp hold of something, maybe a shred of logic. Anything. "I'm sorry, I can't do this right now" she blurted out before running down the stairs.

Owen ran after her. "TOSH! TOSH WAIT, PLEASE WAIT!"

She kept running and running. Out of the hospital and across the car park, Owen stopped at the door and watched her dodge people and cars as she ran so fast to get away from him.

To get away from him.

She didn't want to be near him.

Was it because he scared her? Or maybe it was because he was dirty with his own spitefulness that she was disgusted he would want to be friends with her....or maybe she didn't believe him and thought he was nothing but a liar who was friends with her out of pity.

He wasn't sure which option was the worst.

But he felt sick in the stomach knowing it was him that made her run in terror.


	15. Chapter 15

Owen Harper was depressed.

This wasn't a good thing, when Owen got upset and angry he did a lot of shitty things. Jack cursed silently to whoever hurt Owen this time, it's been a month and Christmas was almost here. A month and Owen had done juvenile pranks like egg the Headmaster's house to slipping fake spiders in an arachnophobia Andy's locker. Owen had gotten drunk regularly, only to be found in the gutter by the police and had even gotten back with his ex Dianne for the weekend. Owen had entered fights and came out worse with bloody noses, lips and black eyes.

To make things worse Gwen had been jumpy, on their dates she was constantly looking over her shoulder and clinging tightly to his hand as they walked home. She either felt unsafe or was embarrassed to be seen with him; though he felt slightly fearful of the latter he knew it was most likely the former. Her admirer has taken another step further by following her around the city.

A jumpy Gwen and a depressed Owen should never be in the same room together, half of Owen's black eyes came from Gwen...

Though Jack had to admit an angry Gwen was extremely sexy.

Deciding it was best to find out what was going on with Owen before he failed his exams and got even more depressed Jack went in search of him. Only to find him sitting on the school roof of all places.

"What the hell are you thinking of?!" Jack demanded fiercely pulling Owen off the edge.

"Oh for fuck sake Harkness I don't have the guts to jump off" Owen snarled, pulling away from Jack. "I was thinking about how crappy my life is"

"Be a little cheerful it's Christmas" Jack said sitting next to Owen looking at the grey gloomy sky.

"Did you know most suicides happen at Christmas?"

"Did you know Mum would bring you back to life just to kill you again if you do commit suicide" Jack shot back cheerfully. "Come on Owen, I'm your best friend, what's been bugging you?"

There was a silent moment and Owen closed his eyes. "Tosh" he said quietly. "I hurt her a lot"

"Ah the beautiful Toshiko, I noticed she's been avoiding you a lot. Spends a lot of time with Gwen only because Gwen is dragging her to places like the shopping centre" Jack said grinning slightly. "Did you kiss her without her consent?"

"NO!" Owen shouted turning a bright red. "I can't tell you what...but I found something about her past and she thinks I'm friends with her out of sympathy"

"Then you got to convince her that you're not" Jack said simply.

"How?"

"That's for you to find out but I reckon you should start working on being friends again and quickly"

"Oh you're a great help" Owen muttered sarcastically. "So Christmas shopping....finished getting Alice her million and one presents?"

"I'm not having a spoiled brat for a kid" Jack said rolling his eyes. "But yes I got her lots of presents, Gwen a nice pair of earrings, Ianto and Andy a little something, Mum and Dad something, you something and Tosh something"

"Your brother?"

"In the post, what about you? Got a present for Toshiko?"

"None of your fucking business"

"Owen is it me or has your ears gone pink?"

"It's the wind"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen opened her locker and sighed in relief when she found nothing in there but the things she had placed there earlier.

"No Christmas card from your admirer?" Andy asked.

"Nope, must have given up" Gwen grinned pulling out the brightly coloured wrapped parcels and chucking one at Andy. "Merry Christmas dear"

"Oh thank you darling" Andy replied. "May I open it now?"

"No wait till Christmas" Gwen snapped. "Usually I would wait till Christmas Eve but-"

"You evil dreadful family decided to kidnap you and hold you hostage in the icy dark evil mountains known the Alps for torture sessions known as skiing" Andy said rolling his eyes. "It's awful I know. Imagine two whole weeks without Jack Harkness to snog under the mistletoe"

"Oh shut up" Gwen said blushingly.

"Are you teasing my Gwen there" the pair turned to see Suzie Costello standing there smiling. "You do realise she has a temper? I rather not have her all riled up while I'm going through our last psychology assignment"

"Oh this is for you" Gwen said handing a slim black box with a red ribbon on. "It isn't much but it's to say thank you for all the help you have given me with my psychology"

"No problem Gwen" Suzie said her smile growing. "Thank you for such a lovely thought"

"Now then psychology homework, lets go through it quickly because I believe, you, me, Jack, Tosh and Ianto have a date at the coffee shop soon to exchange presents and gossip before everyone leaves me for their holidays" Andy said dramatically. "Tosh is studying to her death, Ianto is going to his Granny's, god knows what Jack is doing I rather not know and Owen is far to sulky for my taste"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

White puffs of air escaped her lips as she laughed at his joke. Ignoring that pain of envy they concentrated on how lovely she looked with the wind blowing her dark hair slightly under her knitted red cap and how her cheeks looked flushed in that wind. The bastard Jack Harkness was holding onto her tiny gloved hand as they walked down the road.

The pair stooped at Gwen's gate, Jack was saying something, probably an excuse to why he couldn't walk her all the way to the porch. Git. If they were with Gwen they would have walked her all the way to the door and waited till she was safe with her parents. Clenching their hands tightly on their camera in anger as they watched Jack bend down and give Gwen a long sensuous kiss goodbye.

If they were with Gwen they wouldn't dare dream about that. Gwen was pure, good, kind and sweet. She was a goddess, someone to be admired but not touched. They would be satisfied with just a smile or a handshake. Overjoyed if Gwen even decided to hug them.

Jack was now leaving and Gwen had a dreamy look on her face before she turned to the gate and walk up the path. Gwen paused at the door and bent down, they leaned in eagerly as she picked up the present they left for her on the doorstep. She opened the card and they knew the poem she would read:

_Oh Heavenly Angel on this eve,  
would you bestow upon me a kiss  
under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve_

_Oh Heavenly Angel, I am selfish  
to ask such a request  
when you're with such a codfish _

_Oh Heavenly Angel, tonight  
I shall dream about you  
bathed in the moonlight _

Not their best work. To be honest it was rushed, they had brought a gift and forgot to prepare a poem and quickly wrote one with before rushing to Gwen's doorstep to drop the present off and then went off to search for her. To watch her laugh with all those idiots. They felt selfish to ask for a kiss but they were curious to whether or not Gwen Cooper's lips would be soft as they looked.

They were attracted to Gwen for her soul and now obsessed over her looks. Gwen was now opening the present, a charm for her charm bracelet. Nothing overly special but it sparkled like a star and it had to be Gwen's.

Gwen gasped loudly, enough for them to hear and she quickly ran inside, probably to put it on her charm bracelet. They had made her happy. They will keep making her happy.

Jack Harkness didn't stand a chance.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Oh the tree is so pretty" Nana cooed looking at the dark green tree that Owen fixed up in the corner of their living room. The smell of pine was strong. "I'm so happy you brought this on the way home Owen, I was beginning to get worried that we had no tree for Christmas"

"Yeah, sorry I haven't been in the spirit Nana" Owen said smiling weakly. "School is over and though I'll be busy revising I thought we could spend tonight decorating and maybe baking the gingerbread men?"

"Oh you used to love them as a child" Nana said remembering what a sweet innocent boy Owen was and thinking how proud she is of the good responsible man he is becoming. "We'll make some as soon as we decorated the tree, I'll go get the decorations"

Owen grabbed her wrist. "Nana, I'm not having you climb up an old ladder to get the decorations, I'll get them" he said firmly.

"Oh my strong young man!" Nana enthused proudly. "Never you mind that! I got them out of the attic last week, they're in my room. You just sit there and wait for me"

"Sure, you're the boss" Owen said grinning.

He sat down on the soft cushiony sofa and helped himself to his hot chocolate with brandy in, a Christmas treat. The mince pies were laid out as well and Owen couldn't resist helping himself to one. He had been so anti-social to his grandmother probably broke her heart by not talking to her and doing little DIY things for her. After talking to Jack Owen realised how he neglected everyone to escape his hurt and anger from Tosh.

So he instantly went and got a tree. He also brought some mince pies and chocolates as well to beg forgiveness with. Nana however just wanted to see him smiling and was happy with him suggesting decorating the tree. Owen smile faded, Nana was the only thing he had that loved him more than anything...if she were to suddenly go....it would kill him...

_THUD, THUD, THUD!_

_BANG!_

_CRASH!_

Owen shot up out of the sofa. "Nana!" he shouted running to the hallway. "Nana!"

There laid his vulnerable small grandmother in the midst of broken, sparkling glass, drops of crimson red blood covering them. Her eyes were closed peacefully and a half smile was on her face.

She looked like an angel prepared to see God.

A broken angel heading back home.

"NANA!"

**Author's Note: now I'm going to be very evil and say no update until I get eight reviews...you know what to do...**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: thank you for the many reviews and here's your reward...**

It was rather quiet. Dr Smith didn't say a word as he drank his tea and Tosh didn't dare say anything as she looked down on her own cup. It was their last chat of the year and she won't see him till January however despite that she found herself incapable of telling him her problems. The office was decorated for the season with beautiful Christmas cards and sparkling tinsel Dr Smith himself even wore a Father Christmas hat.

"Got everything ready for Christmas?" Dr Smith asked cheerfully once he finished his tea.

"No" Tosh whispered. "We're too busy to get the tree and decorations"

"Shame that, one of the best parts of Christmas is decorating the tree" Dr Smith said offering a plate of mince pies to her. She shook her head and he put the plate down. "Rose, a good friend of mine gets ecstatic round this time of year. She decorates, attempts to cook and does loads of little Christmassy things, last year she dragged us round the town in the freezing cold to sing Christmas carols"

"Your friend sounds nice" Tosh said softly.

"So do your friends" Dr Smith said encouragingly. "Gwen, Ianto, Andy, Jack and especially Owen"

Tosh's grip on her cup tightened. "Did you tell Owen about....me being a patient here?" she asked firmly.

"Yes, I was worried and knew Owen would look out for you"

"So he was friends with me out of pity?"

"I don't think so" Tosh looked up at him questioningly. "He already seemed to care for you deeply before I told him. I know you care for him too, up to the point of jealousy if your sadness for seeing him kissing that other girl a few weeks were to go by"

Tosh's cheeks flushed pink. "I...I...I...I"

Dr Smith sighed and picked up a picture, looking down at it fondly. "Every year I take two weeks off round Christmas to be with my family. My step-brother and step-sister and Rose...i have to hide and pretend I don't love Rose" Tosh looked up with wide eyes. "It hurts a lot Toshiko, don't make my mistakes. You should go out there and grasp your chances; I think Owen likes you a lot"

"I-I-I will try" Tosh said. "I will try something"

Dr Smith smiled sadly. "Good and may you be more successful than I'll ever be"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Dr Davis to emergency ward six, I repeat Dr Davis to emergency ward six"

Owen sat there in the waiting room, hands curled into fists and eyes wide as he concentrated on the floor, watching feet run past him. He could barely hear the world around him; he was so frightened, so angry at himself, so deeply sad.

"Owen!"

Owen looked up to see Jack and Mrs Harkness running towards them. He stood up to greet them and was immediately enveloped into Mrs Harkness' arms and she hugged him tightly.

"Oh my darling! How horrifying for you" she exclaimed. "How is your Nana? Did the doctors say anything?"

"Mum let Owen go before he dies of lack of oxygen" Jack said rolling his eyes.

"Nana will be fine" Owen said once he was released from Mrs Harkness' strangle hold, shooting a grateful look at Jack. "The doctors said she slipped a disc in her back but she hadn't broken any bones. We're looking about two, three weeks in hospital and a carer at home afterwards"

"What a relief" Mrs Harkness said clasping her chest. "I was so scared for you Owen. What are you going to do by yourself?" Owen shrugged. "Well I know what you're doing, you're spending Christmas with us, darling Joe has already agreed and I can't leave you all on your own"

"Thank you Mrs Harkness" Owen said he turned to Jack. "Where's Alice? I thought you planned to spend every waking minute with her until school comes back"

"She's asleep" Jack said grinning. "It is rather late you know Harper, you call at the most inconvenient times. Now how about we go back to yours, clean it up, pack your stuff and head over to mine. Had you have dinner? Because we could al..."Jack trailed off as he spotted someone over Owen's shoulder. Owen blinked and turned round to see Tosh standing there with worry written all over her face. "Mum, let's go to the canteen I hear they do a nice cake there" Jack said tactfully grabbing his mother's arm.

"But I wanted to see if that's Owen's girlfriend, she's very beautiful"

"Another time Mum" Jack promised.

Tosh blushed heavily. "I...I heard the nurses talking" she admitted quietly. "I was worried..."

"It's all right, I'm fine and Nana will recover, in a couple months it'll be like nothing had ever happened" Owen said quickly.

"But you're upset!" Tosh cried out. "Dr Smith said you shouldn't cover up when you're upset, you got to tell someone"

Owen smiled weakly. "I got Jack, he might not seem much but he'll be there. I'm spending Christmas with him"

"I-I-I'm sorry for my outburst" Tosh blurted out. "I was afraid you were friends with me only out of sympathy...and...Well...I...I like you a lot, you're a good friend"

Owen felt the tips of his ears burn. "Not really...I'm sorry I hurt you but I really do care about you" he added hastily. "It's just...you should open up a bit more. Cry in front of people when you're upset, get angry and lash out once in a while. Listen to Dr Smith, he knows a lot"

"Friends?" Tosh said smiling shyly.

"Friends" Owen agreed he then pulled out a small box. "I...err...got you a present...haven't wrapped it...sort of kept it in my pocket since I got it...trying to work up the guts to give it to you..."

"Thank you" Tosh said quietly accepting the box and opening it. She gasped, inside was a small silver chain with a simple flat circular locket with the letter T engraved in. "it's too much!" she protested.

"It's not, seriously it didn't cost much I just thought you'd like it. You don't wear jewellery and I thought something pretty..." Owen flustered as he flapped his arms about in explanation. Tosh quickly hugged him and pulled away causing both of them blush a bright red.

"Thank you" she said again. "I also got you something...but well...it's not much....and it's at home...."

"That's ok" Owen said smiling. "Wanna get a hot chocolate? I hear the cake in the canteen is good"

Tosh giggled as she followed Owen out of the corridor. Owen smiled, he knew his Nana will get better, she just had to and with Tosh here there was even more reason to smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Owen was peacefully asleep when suddenly Jack jumped on top of him and began to bounce up and down on the bed. Alice squealing in his arms.

"Come on Uncle Owen, its Christmas time" Jack squeaked in a falsetto voice. "Santa Clause has been and we wanna open the presents, come on you big Scrooge"

"Urgh, Jack you dick leave me alone" Owen mumbled rolling out from underneath Jack and pulling the covers up higher. "I want to sleep"

Jack gasped. "Owen, don't use such language in front virgin ears like Alice's. I want my daughter to remain pure and innocent"

"With you as the father it won't last long" Owen muttered before getting up. "All right, all right, let's get the thing over and done with"

"Oh yes that's definitely the spirit, I can practically hear jingle bells being hummed under your breath" Jack said sarcastically as he stood up. "Come on Owen, have some fun it's Christmas"

"Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!" Alice chanted clapping her hands together.

Owen smiled. "All right then. Let's get these presents opened" he said.

Mrs Harkness had then stuck her head round the door. "Jack! I thought I told you to leave Owen to sleep in" she scolded her son.

Jack whistled and tried to look innocent under the glares of Owen Harper and Mrs Harkness.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Tosh woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen; she stumbled out of bed and grabbed her silk kimono dressing gown to wrap herself in as she entered the living room. The clean living room with the sparkling white fake Christmas tree didn't look Christmassy at all, much to her silent disappointment.

"Ah Toshiko-Chan, Merry Christmas" her mother said coming in from the living room. "I am making a full English breakfast for us, help yourself to the presents"

"Thank you Okaa-san" Tosh said quietly bowing down her head briefly before sitting down on the cold large leather sofa, feeling cold and lonely as her mother clambered round in the kitchen.

She subconsciously reached up and began to play with the locket that Owen got her, smiling to herself at the thought of seeing him again.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto inwardly groaned as he was forced to wear the Christmas cracker paper hat by his grandmother. Christmas had been ok with the usual traditional present opening and thanking everyone, Ianto had received some nice shirts, ties and books he had wanted to read while his father had given him a _man's _present of a football t-shirt which Ianto knew was going to remain in the back of his wardrobe like all the other football shirts, posters and balls have been shoved in. Then everyone got dressed and helped cook the dinner, Granny Jones insisted on Ianto who can cook a four course meal on his own to help since she couldn't trust Rhiannon or her son to do anything but burn the house down. They then sat down for dinner where cider was served to everyone and the crackers were broken and bad jokes were being told.

Ianto knew that the dreaded conversation would be brought up soon, the topic of girlfriends. His father would make snide comments, Rhiannon would defend him while attempting to move the conversation onto her and Johnny and Granny Jones would insist Gwen was his girlfriend. However before Granny Jones had turned her head to Ianto to ask the same question she ask every three months there was an urgent knock on the door.

"Hmm I wonder who that could be" Granny Jones murmured as she slowly made her way to the door and answered it. "Oh hello there John, do come in. Rhiannon didn't tell me you were coming for dinner"

Johnny Davis had burst into the small dining room, his face red from the wind and panting slightly as if he had run for a while.

"Johnny!" Rhiannon exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"There was something I desperately wanted to ask you, I would have asked earlier but I only just got what I needed so I left early this morning" everyone blinked in confusion when suddenly Johnny went down on one knee before Rhiannon. Rhiannon gasped while Granny Jones smiled with tears in her eyes, Mr Jones leaned forward and Ianto rolled his eyes. "Rhiannon Jones, the love of my life, the reason for me to breathe, please do me the honour of becoming my wife"

He pulled out a small black velvet jeweller's box and opened it up to reveal a small diamond on a silver ring. Rhiannon clasped her chest, tears springing to her eyes. "Oh Johnny" she whispered, flinging her arms round him. "Yes! Yes! A million times yes!"

"Well done mate, welcome to the family" Ianto's father said patting Johnny on the back.

"Oh first my little Rhiannon is getting married and hopefully soon Ianto will pop the question to that lovely Gwen girl" Granny Jones said wistfully. "I'll give you my engagement ring when the time comes dear"

Johnny burst out laughing. "Sorry but I thought Ianto was a poof"

_Johnny asked Rhi to marry him, she said yes and now I'm in hell. Get me out of here! _Ianto text quietly and quickly to Andy.

TWTWTWTWTWWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Who's the cutest thing on earth? You are, oh yes you are" Jack cooed as he began to take even more photos of Alice with his brand new digital camera. "You're the most gorgeous thing on the planet"

"Jack you're creeping me out" Owen said as he wrapped his scarf round his neck.

Alice giggled as she threw her brand new doll at Jack's head causing Jack to give her a mock glare and start tickling her, snapping photos of her squirming and kicking her way away from him.

"Jack stop teasing your daughter" Mrs Harkness said firmly before hugging Owen tightly. "Oh Owen dear, are you going to visit your Nana? Would you please take this dinner to her, it's leftovers from earlier. I just don't trust that hospital food"

"Of course and thank you again Mrs Harkness" Owen said hugging her back before leaving the house.

As he walked down the street, Owen swore he saw a car with tinted windows beginning to follow him...again.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Ah hello dear, you're Owen's little friend aren't you?"

Tosh turned bright pink as she realised Owen wasn't in the room with his grandmother. It was early afternoon and after a tense morning her mother had gone to her bedroom/study to do some paperwork leaving Tosh with nothing to do but read her brand new books or watch the Christmas specials on TV. Unwilling to be lonely Tosh had decided to go to the hospital to see Owen and hand him his Christmas present, something she had been meaning to do all week but never got the courage to do. Instead of seeing Owen though she was in a room with a sweet elderly lady who was almost a stranger to her.

"What was your name again dear? Tish? Tash? Owen has said it repeatedly but my memory isn't what it used to be, Trisha? Natasha...Tanya...no that's not it...."

"Tosh!"

"That's it!" Nana said clicking her fingers together. "Hello Owen dear"

Tosh whirled round to see Owen looking stunned. She blushed harder and lowered her head looking at the present she was clutching tightly. "Hello" she said quietly. "I came to give you, your Christmas present"

"You didn't have to" Owen said taking a step forward.

"I did! Especially since you've been so kind and brought me that locket" Tosh blurted shoving the present into Owen's chest. "I'm sorry, I got to go now"

She then darted out of the room leaving a bewildered Owen and a chuckling Nana.

"Sweet girl, very shy though" Nana observed.

"Yeah she is" Owen agreed unwrapping the present to reveal a biology text book.

Not just any biology text book though. It was the one he had wanted to read back in September.

"Very special" Nana added slyly.

"Definitely" Owen agreed staring at the present in shock.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: sorry for not updating for so long. I got distracted with homework, family visits and other projects. I hope you enjoy this and review**

Owen stood there irritated as Jack and Andy teased a blushing Ianto about him being a bridesmaid and Tosh leaned against him while reading a book. They were in the airport waiting for Gwen's plane to arrive, Owen was dragged there by Jack who insisted everyone had to be there to greet Gwen and Owen couldn't help noting that neither Emma nor Carys were invited. Then again Emma and Carys while good friends, weren't really part of the inner the group the six of them had created in the past few months. Despite the irritation of being in a stuffy airport, Owen was forever grateful that no one had the time to make a cheesy _Welcome Home _sign because that would have driven him to insanity.

"I told you already! I'm not going to be a bridesmaid, I'm just a guest!" Ianto snapped.

"But you're practically planning the wedding I hear" Jack said wrapping an arm round Ianto's shoulder causing the shy awkward teen to blush heavily. "Picking everything out. You might as well be the Maid of Honour or hell even the bride"

"I'm not" Ianto mumbled. "Rhiannon just keeps asking me things, that's all"

"It's because you're such a girl" Andy teased though his eyes were hard and angry. He pushed Jack off Ianto. "Go, greet your girlfriend and leave poor Ianto to worry about his wedding to Mr John Davis" he said lightly.

Everyone turned to see Gwen walking through the gate with her parents. Her skin slightly darker than normal, her black hair tied up to reveal sparkling earrings and her usual black clothes matched her suitcase she was dragging.

"Gwen!" Jack yelled running up to her.

"Jack!" she squealed running to meet him halfway. Dropping her suitcase to fling her arms round his neck, he picked her up and spun her around before tangling his fingers through her hair and dragging her lips to meet his.

Their kiss became heated quite quickly as Gwen's hands wandered down to squeeze Jack's bum. Tosh dropped her book in shock, Ianto found his feet far more interesting and Andy, Owen and Mr and Mrs Cooper watched on with a mix of disgust and embarrassment.

"Oi! Lovebirds, wait till you get a room" Owen called out. "There's little kids round here, we can't afford to lose their innocence nor my sanity"

Jack and Gwen broke away, Jack grinning smugly while Gwen buried her face into his chest embarrassed. Owen rolled his eyes and merely picked up Tosh's book and passed it back to her.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"No problem" he smiled.

"Ah Jack, so nice to see you again" Mrs Cooper said fondly as she shook Jack's hand.

Jack flipped Mrs Cooper's hand over and kissed it. "Pleasure is all mine" he said charmingly. "I was hoping to steal your daughter away for a spot of karaoke with our friends. They really need to lighten up and Gwen has always been the life of the party"

Both Cooper women blushed; Andy made loud puking noises while Owen simply rolled his eyes.

"Go ahead" Mr Cooper said. "But bring her back before five, she needs to unpack and finish whatever homework she has left"

"Yes sir" Jack said respectably before he picked Gwen's suitcase up. "Shall I help you load the car?"

Owen had now realised why so many parents actually stupidly trusted Jack with their daughters. The smug idiot was charming, flirtatious and respectable. Those three were the perfect mixture to win over any mother and father. The world, Owen decided, was filled with idiots.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"You're so vain. You probably think this song is about you" Jack sang in his beautiful yet sexy voice. "You're so vain. I'll bet you think this song is about you. Don't you? Don't you?"

"If you ask me, someone should be singing this to him not the other way round" Owen muttered causing Tosh and Gwen to giggle. "He better not force me up there. I hate singing"

"Aw, come on Owen, everyone has to sing" Gwen said pouting slightly.

"I haven't been in the singing mood recently"

"I heard" Gwen said sympathetically. "I'm sorry about your Nan, how is she getting along?"

"She's better" Owen said taking a sip of his coke. "Doctors think she needs to stay in for a couple more weeks though. Some complications that they hadn't thought before. But by the time I finished my biology exam she should be home"

"You know we're always here for you, right?"

"Oh don't get all soppy over me Gwen Cooper" Owen growled. "What happened to bitching Gwen? I need someone to tell me my place and argue with me"

Gwen's lips twitched. "Get up and sing" she said.

"No!"

"Oh come on, please, Ianto's going up next and he's the shy one out of you lads! Go and sing, doesn't matter how bad you are, besides Andy is awful"

"Hey!"

"It's the truth Andy and you know it" Gwen said quickly to Andy. "Come on, Owen lighten up a little and have fun"

"I said no, goddamnit!" Owen shouted, smacking a fist against the table causing the other customers at the pub to go quiet and look round. Tosh flinched and Owen stiffened, he glared at Gwen before patting Tosh's shoulder comfortingly. "I have to go, I promised to visit Nana at three" he mumbled as he got up.

"You're so vain. I'll bet you think this song is about you. Don't you? Don't you?" Jack hurriedly finished the song, before stuffing the microphone back into his stand and running after Owen. "Hey Owen, wait up!"

"Go away Jack" Owen shouted. "You stay and have fun. I need to be by myself"

"You'll be back by dinner, yeah?"

"Yeah"

Jack nodded, satisfied with Owen's answer and went back just in time to see Gwen and Andy pushing Ianto onto the stage for his turn.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen muttered darkly under his breath. He shouldn't have snapped at Gwen but honestly he was irritated and stressed and worried. The exam was in two weeks and Jack and Alice's pestering for him to play has made it difficult to revise, he has taken to hiding in the library or at Tosh's (which he found not only awkward but too cold and quiet. He wonders how Tosh can cope living in such an empty place). He had little sleep recently and not because of his worries but because Alice keeps waking him up at six o'clock in the morning with her crying. Also he has no idea who is following him in that car, which by the way was following him right now!

"All right, that's it!" Owen snapped whirling round. "Who the fuck are you and why are you following me?"

The back door opened and a well manicured, tanned male hand came out, making a gesture for him to come in. Sighing and ignoring his grandmother's warnings of getting into strange cars, Owen marched over and slid into the car. The seats were made of expensive leather and the carpets were incredibly clean and fluffy. The man sitting beside him was rather tall, dressed in an expensive suit, with greying brown hair and dark eyes.

"Who are you?" Owen demanded to know.

"I'm rather surprised your grandmother never taught you manners" the man said calmly. "She always insisted upon them whenever I visit"

"How do you know Nana?" Owen asked suspiciously.

"Ellen Harper, widower, mother to several children, one including your mother? The only family that acknowledges you"

"I repeat" Owen said between gritted teeth. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Dr Eugene Green, the head of the board of governors of your school" Owen's eyes widened. "I also own many businesses and have a very busy life. I hadn't had the chance to watch you properly till now"

"Stalk me, you mean?" Owen spat out. "Why are you so bloody interested in me? I'm just a troublemaker"

"Ah but you're my troublemaker. I remember the days before I ended my relationship with your mother, you were always running about and putting your grimy hands on everything you could get hold off" he smiled fondly at the memory. "I would have taken you with me if it wasn't for the fact my life was not one for a child. But I'm glad to see you face to face after all these years, son"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen had left the others not long ago, hugging her friends tightly who all reassured her that Owen will be fine and giving Jack a loving peck on the lips who also reassured her that Owen will be fine, she had walked alone back to hers. The air was cold and it was beginning to get dark, she hummed the song she sang with Jack not so long ago while smiling fondly at the memories after Owen left.

Ianto was a brilliant and passionate singer and left chills down everyone's spine. Andy was god awful and had people yell at him to get off the stage, Tosh was forced on and was cheered by everyone, then they all did a group one and separate duets. It was a fun afternoon and Gwen wished Owen had stayed. She felt rather guilty that she pushed him to the point of leaving; she only wanted to hear him sing and see him enjoy himself.

A man grabbed her by the wrist. "Excuse me Miss" he said politely. "Someone wanted me to tell you something"

"Oh" she blinked.

"Yes, they wanted me to tell you that you sung like an angel and you suit your tan. Also something about Jack Harkness doesn't deserve to be near you and ruined your lovely voice" The man looked quite confused at the message he had to deliver. "They also said, I can't wait to watch you in school"

She inhaled sharply. "Who was this person? What did they look like?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, they asked me not to tell you" the man said. "You ok sweetheart? You look a little pale"

"Yeah, I'm fine" Gwen muttered. "Excuse me"

Gwen immediately began running back home. Her heart pounding furiously. She barely been in the country for a few hours and already her stalker had been watching her. Who could it be? One of her friends? No impossible! It must be someone they know, but not close to, someone who read Jack's or Andy's status on Facebook and knew where to find them...


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: a Christmas present for Ellie. **

Owen collapsed onto the old worn out sofa in the sixth form common room. He groaned loudly and buried his head in the musty cushion. He was tired, so very tired of it all. It had been non-stop cramming for his exam and since Jack and Alice were so hyperactive the only peace he could study in where the library or Tosh's flat which caused too much teasing on Jack's side of things. On top of that he had been busy preparing for his Nana's return only to find that _someone _had intervened and sorted it out, he had also been getting phone calls and letters that he ignored. Owen thought he made it very clear before that he wanted nothing to do with _that man. _

Jack sighed at the sight of Owen being miserable _again. _Opposite Owen sat a silent and exhausted Gwen, large dark smudges could be seen under her eyes, her lips were chapped and her hair a mess merely shoved in a ponytail as a last minute resort. She stared mindlessly at her English notes, also about to sit an exam with Ianto and Andy, who both were mindlessly staring at their cups of coffee. Tosh was curled in an armchair reading a book, at least it looked like it but from her slow breathing pattern Jack would say she was asleep. It had been a difficult term, Gwen's stalker has gotten more persistent, Ianto has taken over Rhiannon's planning causing fights between him and his father, Andy is upset over something and Tosh has been pushing herself to the extreme to pass this exam.

"All right that's it!" Jack shouted causing everyone to jump, Tosh waking up with a startle. "I'm sick of everyone moping about, that's not what we're about. We're teenagers, young adults, it'll be my birthday soon and I want lots and lots of laughter, alcohol and love"

"Oh piss off Harkness, no one is in the mood for your innuendo" Owen mumbled against the sofa.

Jack leaped on him. "Owen, my best friend, my most annoying wanker, what happened to us? You should be ecstatic that Nana is being let out this afternoon, that exams are over for now and the day is young!"

"Gerroff me, you big freak" Owen said struggling under Jack.

"Not until you smile!"

"Never!"

The two boys wrestled slightly on the sofa when it suddenly collapsed beneath them sending them rolling across the room. Unable to resist the temptation everyone began to laugh, Jack sat up looking like an overjoyed puppy with messy hair and grinned.

"What shit furniture" Owen wheezed. "Jeeze when did they get that crap? 1859? Ha!"

"We should file a complaint to the Head Boy and Head Girl to get some new furniture" Ianto agreed calmly as he took a long sip of his coffee and sighed blissfully.

"Who are our Head Boy and Head Girl?" Andy asked.

"What you didn't know?" Gwen asked stunned.

"Well our school isn't exactly the best in communication, how many assemblies have we missed because we haven't been informed?"

"None, you missed about thirty eight so far because of your late nights"

Andy flushed. "That's not the point!"

"I believe Eugene and Janet are" Ianto said finishing his coffee. "I'm going to get some more, would any of you like some?" everyone made mumbled yeses passing their cups to Ianto.

"_Eugene?!" _Owen spat out, instantly thinking of his so-called father. Everyone stared at him wondering what he had against the sweet lad who couldn't even harm a fly. "That alien obsessed freak, jeeze what were they thinking?" Owen said lightly trying to cover up his initial rage and hatred. "And Janet? Jeeze, she's the most hideous girl in the whole of Cardiff, probably the world. She looks like something that lives in the dark, smelly sewers, smells like it too"

Large wails could be heard as the common room door slammed open. Everyone gave Owen a withering glare; Jack smacked him in the back of the head. "Well done you wanker, you made Janet cry"

"She was here?"

"You're so insensitive Owen, you disgust me!" Gwen raged Ianto who had left to make coffee came back with a tray filled with everyone's but Gwen's cup. "Hey, Yan where's my cuppa?"

"I don't know" Ianto said blinking. "It was there a moment ago and the next thing I know it vanished"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The school day ended and the hours between then and the next day were torturously long. They could not follow Gwen every night and since Gwen didn't have any plans with anyone that night there was no need to follow her. Returning to their very empty house, with no mother and a drunken bastard of a father, they would be alone for a very long time. Probably till midnight.

Heading to their neat and boring bedroom, they placed their school bag on their bed and took out the blue mug with penguins on, the one they stole of the side while Ianto was distracted with the antics of the idiot known as Owen Harper. Out of that stupid bunch the only ones they approved of were Ianto and Tosh and even then they had such a low opinion of them. After all Ianto Jones and Toshiko Sato had little backbone and were no use for such an independent woman like Gwen Cooper.

Dear lord, they were beginning to sound like Adam and he was a psycho. Unlike them, they were normal, just ignored and overlooked by their own family as well as society. Gwen had been one of the few to acknowledge them and they love her for it. They shall worship her forever.

Opening the wardrobe and pushing their boring plain clothes aside, they revealed their private shrine, photos, perfume, poems written for her, pens lent to them by her and even a diary accounting every little thing they noticed about her. Putting Gwen's mug amongst the little collected trinkets, they pulled out the diary and began writing in it while wondering if it was possible to get a lock of Gwen's beautiful black hair that looked wild and free despite its constraining scrunches almost like the person.

Gwen, will be theirs, one day...

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Ooh I say Owen dear, you did a splendid job keeping the house clean" Nana cooed as she wandered round the spotless living room. Owen lagged behind her, carrying not only his own bag but Nana's and the dinner that Mrs Harkness had cooked for them. "Not even a sprinkle of dust on the shelves. I have no worries about you not being able to take care of yourself now"

"It wasn't me" Owen mumbled causing Nana to look up at him stunned. "I haven't entered this house since I dropped off your stuff. I went to clean it this weekend but it had already been done"

"Oh Mrs Robinson next door must have done it, I'll have to thank her, maybe some flowers?"

"It wasn't Mrs Robinson" Owen said coldly.

Nana's smile didn't falter. "Oh it must have been Mr McCrery from over the road then"

"It wasn't Mr McCrery or any of our other neighbours. It wasn't the Harkness' nor was it any of my friends. It was my father, wasn't it? You've been in contact with him for a long time and you knew who he is and sent me to that school because of him"

Nana's smile had faded away. "Please don't be angry with me Owen" she pleaded. "I only did what I thought was right for you. Your mother had been so...so...so unlike herself! With her rejection and him never figuring in your life, I thought it was best for you to think of him as gone for good and not just some rich man paying you off. I wanted you to be happy with ignorance. I wanted you to have a lovely childhood with wonderful friends and no doubt that someone loved you, please don't be mad Owen"

Owen sighed. "C'mere" he said gruffly holding his arms out for his trembling grandmother. She came close to him and he held her tightly. "I can never be angry at you Nana; you've always been too good for me. It's just....i...I'm....i don't know....I'm so messed up right now"

Nana pulled away and cupped Owen's cheek. "I understand completely dear. You're such a good boy, maybe you should give your father a chance it could do you both the world of good"

Owen smiled sadly. "I don't think that's possible Nana, now come on I believe Mrs Harkness made a chicken casserole for us"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen flopped onto his bed and sighed heavily. He groaned and rolled over burying his head into his pillow as the memory replayed into his head.

"_Don't fuck with me" he spat out. "Stop the car and let me out"_

"_Please listen to me Owen, I know it's a little hard to believe but I really am your father. I met your mother in university at a bar and we hit off immediately. Unfortunately my parents never approved-"_

"_No fucking excuse. Now let me out!"_

"_Let me finish, my own father was dying he needed me-"_

"_I needed you! Mum needed you! But did you give a fuck? No! Your broke it off with her, cut all ties and because I looked too much like you, I was too much of a fucking reminder she hated me!"_

"_Now that's probably a bit too strong-"_

"_I love you because you're my son but that doesn't mean I have to like you" he quoted. "She told me those two years ago on a visit. After announcing she never wants to see my face again, that she wants to be happy with this new bloke...another fucking sod who hates kids!"_

"_Listen young man. Your mother is a good woman who has suffered a lot of hardships in life, now I know I am not the best man in the world, yes before we split up I was unreliable due to my many business meetings, I was unfaithful in her eyes because of the woman fostered onto me by my parents and-"_

"_Just shut the fuck up! You have no right to lecture me on my language! You may have some biological input but you are not my father! She is not my mother! Neither of you are my family, now piss off!"_

"_Owen-"_

_Thankfully the car had stopped outside of the hospital, hastily taking his belt off and shoving the door open, he turned to face his father one last time. _

"_I. Will. Not. See. You. Ever. Again"_

_He had then jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut, hoping he broke something. _

There was no way Owen Harper will ever talk to his father again. Respecting his son's wishes the man did not follow him at all for the next week, once again he felt safe on the streets however inside his mind, Owen Harper was a minefield.


	20. Chapter 20

Jack Harkness woke up with a smile on the fourteenth of February.

Jumping out of bed and quickly getting dressed for school, Jack bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen where his mother was making breakfast, his father reading the newspaper and Alice making a mess as usual.

"There he is, the birthday boy" Mrs Harkness said walking round the table to kiss Jack's cheek. "My little baby a legal adult now, I can hardly believe it. Sit down, sit down, I've made pancakes"

Jack sat down opposite his father who put the newspaper down. "Happy Birthday Jackie-Boy"

"Thank you Dad" Jack grinned as his mother placed down a plate of pancakes with strawberry sauce squeezed on in a shape of a heart. "Looks delicious Mum"

"'Appy 'irthday to !" Alice shouted excitedly bashing her spoon against her high chair.

"Thank you, Princess" Jack said blowing a kiss to a giggling Alice. "Happy Valentines Day as well, I got you some chocolate for later"

"Yay! Choccy!"

"Now, now Jack don't get her to excited or I won't be able to handle her today" Mrs Harkness said. "Come on, eat up and open your presents, you don't have long till school"

Obeying his mother's wishes he found he had some new clothes, a new watch and quite a large sum of money from not just his parents but his family in America. Alice had even scribbled him a special birthday picture that caused him to smile, after giving everyone thank you hugs and kisses Jack got up to go to school.

"What are you planning on doing tonight dear?" Mrs Harkness asked as she gathered all the plates.

"Me and Gwen are going out for dinner, I may not come home at all tonight" Jack said in a suggestive voice.

"Practise safe sex" Mr Harkness said from behind his newspaper. "I don't want Alice to have a sibling just yet"

"Of course, father of mine, Gwen would skin me alive if I got her pregnant" Jack said picking Alice up and twirling her in the air. "Besides I'm not reading to share my love to Alice with another gorgeous baby just yet" he kissed Alice on the nose and passed her to his mother. "I'll be back at five to get ready; Owen says he'll come around at seven"

"Are you sure Owen doesn't mind babysitting?" Mrs Harkness asked worriedly. "I mean its Valentines Day, he might have had a date planned or he might not have wanted to leave his Nana alone"

"Owen hasn't got the guts to ask Tosh out on a date" Jack said bluntly. "And he specifically brought baby monitors so he can keep an eye on his Nana, so all is well. You and Dad just enjoy spending a romantic night together. _Au reviour_"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"I can't believe Jack is born on Valentines Day!"

Ianto looked sceptical. "Really? I can, Captain Flirts-a-lot lives and breathes romance"

"Yes, but you don't live and breath pranks and you're born on April the first" Gwen reminded Ianto.

"Don't remind me" Ianto muttered darkly. "Dad likes to make awful pranks involving the presents, the cards, the cake...."

"Well, thank you for the chocolate" Gwen said quickly changing the topic.

"No, thank you for the chocolate" Ianto said grinning. It was custom for the three of them (Ianto, Gwen and Andy ) to exchange chocolate on Valentines Day, it started back in Year Eight when Andy was upset that his girlfriend had broken up with him a whole week before Valentines, in an attempt to cheer him up Gwen started the tradition by buying both him and Ianto some chocolate.

"Have you seen Andy?" Gwen asked. "I wanted to give him his chocolate before class"

"I don't know" Ianto said. "Hey...Gwen...is Andy avoiding me?"

"Huh, what would make you say that?"

"Well he never spends time with me alone, when he's with us he never looks or speaks to me directly and when I see him in the corridor he walks very quickly in the other direction"

"He does not! You're being sensitive Yan!" Gwen said laughingly.

Andy bumped into them, looking alarmed he immediately began half running the other way. Ianto looked deadpanned as he said, "You were saying?"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen and Tosh were doing some homework in the library. It was very quiet apart from the occasional giggle that came from some stupid couple that thought making out in the library was the right thing to do on Valentines Day which had made both Tosh and Owen slightly uncomfortable. Owen was trying to gather up his courage to give Tosh some chocolate, not in a romantic sense, oh no, but in the friendly way like Gwen does when she gives Ianto and Andy chocolate because they were too lame to get dates.

When he had gathered enough courage, Owen had opened his mouth to speak when Gwen suddenly appeared next to Tosh.

"Do any of you like chocolate kisses?"

"Eh?"

"I keep finding chocolate kisses everywhere I go!" Gwen half wailed. "In my locker, on my desk in class, in my school bag"

"Oh my heart bleeds for the girl that has a secret admirer" Owen said sarcastically. "How horrific"

"Don't you get it, it's from my stalker" Gwen hissed. "I don't want to keep encouraging them so I wandered if you would want them" she pulled out a small carrier bag and poured out a lot of silver wrapped heart shaped chocolates. "Would you like them, Tosh?"

"Thank you Gwen" Tosh said quietly taking one and looking back, making sure the librarian could see her before she started to unwrap it. His little Tosh was getting more and more daring each day. "I'll get you something on White Day"

"White Day?"

Tosh swallowed. "Oh yes, in Japan it's a custom that on the fourteenth of March who give a gift back to those who gave you chocolate. Preferably something white"

"Ah, sounds cool, here in Britain you just give chocolate and hope your loved one gives you some back" Gwen said getting up. "Well, I got to go; if I get any more chocolate kisses you can have them"

"Ta Freckles" Owen said coolly earning a dirty look from Gwen. Once he was sure she was gone he turned to give Tosh her chocolate to find that she was presenting a box herself.

"I wanted to say thank you for everything you have done, you have been a wonderful friend" she said shyly, her head bent over so her dark hair could curtain her face.

Smiling down on her fondly, Owen accepted the box and decided he'll treat Tosh to something even better on this White Day....

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

They were furious. That disgusting, sleazy, footballing pig had his paws all over her. Valentines Day, apparently was his birthday, trust him to be born on the most romantic day of the year just to dirty it, to make it feel cheaper than it already was.

He gave her chocolate, kept kissing her, had everyone give him presents and wish him Happy Birthday and then he had a nerve to send the clichéd red roses which they quickly intercepted much to his annoyances. They can tell from his voice when Gwen told him she didn't get his roses.

He took Gwen out to a restaurant and they watched from afar in the shadows. Disgusted to see him holding Gwen's hand throughout the dinner, the little insecure git can't even go five minutes without making sure Gwen was chained to him, unable to escape. And then, the sheer nerve of him, after dinner he took Gwen out for a walk along the docks, arm dragged around her as if he owned her or something.

Watching in the shadows, they were unable to hear what was being said but all of a sudden, he was kissing her with such puppy-dog enthusiasm, slobbering all over poor Gwen. Before taking her....to a hotel of all things!

Knowing full well what was going to happen that night, they decided they shall save Gwen from more disgusting nights like these. They will begin to plot to break Gwen from Jack Harkness' grips forever.

They shall make Jack Harkness' life a misery as well.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen came in rather late in the morning. A blush stained her cheeks though she had no idea why. It wasn't like she was a virgin; she and Rhys had done it a fair few times before. But then again Jack was....well _good. _There was a passion and an explosive chemistry between them that made the sex a billion times better than anything between her and Rhys. She headed up the stairs to her room to get changed when her mother caught her in the landing.

"Hello sweetheart, had a good time last night?"

"Erm..." Gwen said nervously.

"Don't worry dear, I told your father you were staying at Tosh's after the date. I believe you're old enough to make your decisions, just use contraceptives, I'm not ready to be a grandmother just yet"

"Don't worry Mum, I'm still on the pill and Jack used a condom" Gwen said blushing even harder. "I'm going to shower and get changed before getting into my homework"

"Ah before you do sweetheart, this came for you today" Gwen's mother passed a red box with a black bow on. "Probably a belated Valentines present"

"It's most likely the roses Jack sent yesterday" Gwen muttered taking the box.

"I wish your father was a romantic man like your boy" her mother said sighing as Gwen ran up the stairs.

Putting the box on the bed, Gwen opened it up to find not the roses that Jack had claimed he sent but a massacred remains of the roses. Red petals scrunched up, the green stems snapped and a little white card placed on the top of the sweet smelling pile. Picking it up and turning it round, Gwen's eyes widened, horrified to see only two words written in a dark red. It was not the words that horrified her as such but the smell.

She could smell the rustic copper of blood.

In blood two words were written.

_Be Mine._


	21. Chapter 21

Gwen and Ianto were walking down the corridor, heading towards English Lit when some Year 9 bumped into Gwen while singing something along the lines of 'be mine' causing Gwen to jump and cling to Ianto's suit jacket. Ianto merely sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist into an odd one armed hug; ever since Valentines Day which was one month ago exactly Gwen had been jumpier than usual. It seems that the stalker has gotten more aggressive, under normal circumstances Ianto would be more sympathetic to Gwen and reassure her that everything was all right, however his own situation had not led to normal circumstances.

"You know, I'm getting sick of people being jumpy around me" he said after Gwen loosened her grip on him.

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked confused.

"Well we got you being a bit skittish, Jack is far too hyper and bounces around, Tosh still occasionally flinches when someone other than Owen touches her, Owen keeps looking over his shoulder and what else? Oh yes, Andy has been avoiding me"

Gwen laughed. "Andy hasn't been avoiding you!"

"Yes he has!" Ianto argued. "Every time he sees me, he starts walking the other direction, whenever I sit next to him he flinches and moves away. He also ran out the bathroom last week with his trousers down at his ankles because I walked in!"

"Hmm...I wondered what that was all about. It's a bit worrying that an eighteen year old wanders around in teddy bear boxers, don't you think?"

"Gwen! Focus on the problem, and what do you mean eighteen? He wasn't eighteen last week"

"It's his birthday today, remember? You did present him a brand new mug this morning"

"Yeah, just before he left eagerly for class, since when does Andy go to class eagerly?" Ianto demanded to know.

"I think you're just being a bit sensitive, Yan"

Just then Andy walked down the corridor, he froze upon seeing Gwen and Ianto talking, his eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights and he quickly ran the other way. Ianto turned to Gwen with a knowing look.

"You were saying?"

Gwen flung her hands in the air. "All right, all right, he's avoiding you! I'll go and talk to him tonight and find out why, all right?"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was psychology class again and they sat there smirking ever so slightly. Jack Harkness was not in this class which meant a whole hour of Gwen alone time. Gwen looked ever so sweet and yet naughty as she sat there in a daydream nibbling her pen in boredom. Though they were worried about Gwen, she looked paler than normal and she had big purple smudges under her eyes. It must be that Harkness bastard, making her his sex slave and keeping her up all night.

They will have to make him pay for that. Neutering him would be a good start.

They put a hand on her shoulder and she flinched violently. They quickly tore their hand away from her shoulder in fear that she had been injured by some stupid disgusting, vile kinky thing Harkness has created.

"Are you ok, Gwen?"

She smiled up at them sweetly, her little gap between her teeth were showing. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks" she said quickly.

They knew she was lying. She was exhausted and terrified but she shouldn't worry. For they will save her from this mundane life and make her theirs in no time.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was the fourteenth of March. Two important dates, one Andy's birthday that turned round and said he didn't want to do anything, so that had now become less important. And two, White Day, a Japanese custom for those who received chocolate to give something back. Owen had been unable to gather enough courage to give Tosh the chocolates he brought her on Valentines and after receiving some from her, he had decided to buy her something for this White Day she spoke about.

Taking a deep breath, Owen stepped forward towards Tosh who was putting a textbook away into her bag. He opened his mouth and found he couldn't speak, after a couple seconds of making fish mouths as Tosh continued to putting things in her bag or into her locker, Owen finally managed to clear his throat causing her to jump slightly.

"Oh, Owen, you made me jump" she said blushing brightly while her hand clung to her chest in surprise.

"Sorry" Owen mumbled, feeling his own ears turning pink. "I just wanted to give you this. In return for those chocolates on Valentines"

He passed her a small white cardboard box. "Oh" she gasped. "You didn't have to....oh...you remembered about....well thank you"

"It was nothing" Owen muttered.

Tosh opened the small box to find a pair of silver studs with a small chip of white diamond. "Owen, you shouldn't have!"

"Like I said, it was nothing, I just found them in the market, that's all" Owen said fidgeting slightly. "Anyway....we haven't spent much time together recently and I was wondering if we could grab a coffee and catch up?"

"Yes, I noticed you haven't been in the hospital recently" Tosh said trying to hide her disappointment. After her meetings with Dr Smith she had sat with the children while talking to Owen while he was doing his shift, afterwards the pair of them would walk home together discussing things from Andy's latest stupid comment to the latest medical technology. It was fun for her. "But I can't get coffee today; I have a meeting with Dr Smith tonight"

"Oh, could I come with you?" Owen asked suddenly. "I mean, I haven't seen Dr Smith for a few weeks now. Not since my community service has ended and I miss seeing him, he was a fantastic doctor"

"Yes he is" Tosh agreed.

And they began to slowly walk out of the school discussing different doctors and how good they were or how awful they were. Swapping medical stories along the way.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Andy opened his front door and took one look at the person standing in front of him. "Oh, it's you" he went to shut the door but Gwen put her foot in the way.

"Is that the way you greet your best friend Andrew?" she asked, glaring up at him, he swallowed audibly. An angry Gwen is a scary Gwen.

"Look Gwen, I love you loads, but I really don't want to talk today"

"It's your birthday and we're going out. Just you and me, we'll get pissed and you'll tell me exactly why you're avoiding poor Ianto" Gwen said sternly. "No arguments"

"But Gwen, I have to do that psychology essay and – AH! Ow, ow, ow, ow, Gwen, please take pity on me"

Ignoring her friend's babyish wails, Gwen continued to drag him down the street by the ear. "I said," she was gritting her teeth, "no arguments"

Owen and Tosh slipped into the office without knocking, whenever they knocked Dr Smith had often ranted for a good two minutes that there was no need and they were welcome in any time. Dr Smith was slightly eccentric when it came to manners, he hated it when people knocked but he absolutely detested it if someone passed wind and didn't even say pardon me. His rants could be quite amusing, especially when he started to rant about the latest medical find; he would keep shouting things like fantastic and start hugging people enthusiastically. However instead of finding their favourite eccentric doctor, inside the office was a young blonde woman only a few years older than them wearing a red hoodie and black trousers, crying silently as she sat on the desk, her feet swinging back and forth.

"Err....Hello?" Tosh said shyly causing the woman to jump.

The moment Owen saw her face he knew who this woman was. Despite the lack of a bright and cheerful smile, her eyes were still warm and bright though very sad. "Ah, hi, I'm sorry, I didn't realise someone else was here, I was just....just thinking" the woman ran a hand through her blonde locks and smiled rather falsely. "I'm Rose, Rose Tyler and you are?"

"Owen Harper and this is Toshiko Sato" Owen said calmly, wrapping an arm round Tosh's shoulders. "We've come to see Dr Smith"

"The Doctor?" she said, a sad smile had taken over the fake one. "He had spoken of you two, said you had great potential, he really wanted to teach the both of you when you became interns...wanted us all to come to Cardiff to meet you at some point...."

Both of the teenagers blushed lightly. "Thank you" Tosh whispered. "But....where is Dr Smith?"

"Oh god, I'm so sorry" Rose choked out, more tears spilling down her cheeks though she wiped them away furiously. "I'm so very sorry but...the Doctor...you see....he died, this morning, heart attack...I'm so very sorry"

Owen's arm around Tosh dropped; he stood there frozen, blinking furiously. "No, it can't be he was a very healthy man. You must have been mistaken Miss Tyler" he said calmly.

"Yes, Dr Smith was very young as well. He couldn't have died" Tosh agreed hastily, tears already falling down her cheeks. "He couldn't have. This must be a joke; he's hiding in the cupboard isn't he? Well isn't he?"

Rose simply shook her head. "I'm so sorry"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Andy drained his fifth glass. It had only been an hour ago since Gwen dragged him off to the nearest pub to drown his sorrows and tell her what's wrong. Andy dived into the drowning his sorrows part quite eagerly as he gulped his way through several pints of beer, Gwen intelligently stuck with the diet coke.

"Steady on mate, you're going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow if you're not careful" the bartender said as he handed him another glass.

"I don't care" Andy said slurring slightly. "I just want to drink. My life is ruined forever"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen, Andy, just tell me what's wrong so we could sort it out"

"No one can sort this out, it's not something you can sort, it's just a big mound of shit that will build and build and build to the point that there's nothing but shit!" Andy took another deep slurp of his beer. "We always thought I was going to die of unwanted love. A burning desire never quenched, didn't we? We thought I would be stuck in being in love with Gwen Cooper"

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "We did?"

"Oh yes, we did but we were wrong! I am going to do of unwanted love, just not for you Gwen, never you. You're my best friend but that's just it, you're like a little sister or a cute fluffy pet-"

"Oh, thanks" Gwen interrupted sarcastically. "Look sweetheart, who ever it is, you just need to tell them. I'm sure they'll most likely return your feelings and everything will be just fine"

"No, no, no, no, you just don't get it!" Andy drained the rest of his beer. "Gwen, I'm in love with our best friend, don't you get it?"

Gwen shook her head, still not quite understanding what was wrong with the situation.

"Gwen....I'm gay"


	22. Chapter 22

"Gwen....I'm gay"

Gwen blinked for a few moments, she stared at Andy intensely and he waited, his shoulders held stiffly for the shock, surprise, hate and anger. She snorted. A rude, loud one before suddenly dissolving into giggles.

"Gwen, it's not a laughing matter! I am truly gay" Andy said indignantly.

"Oh my god, you just said truly!" she said laughing even harder, Andy glared at her and she tried to stop laughing. "Sorry" she said putting a fist against her mouth to smother her giggles, she finally managed to stop laughing but she was grinning like a maniac. "I'm sorry, I really am, but Andy...i already thought you were gay"

Andy gawped at her. "What?" he choked out.

"Well, Andy you're very camp, y'know? Really good at shopping, at bit too good for a bloke and then you've always eyed up Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp instead of Kiera Knightly when we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. Of course you're so jealous of Jack when he's near Ianto. So it's obvious, really"

"I was that obvious?" Andy said disbelievingly.

"Andy, Ianto's dad knew you were gay and he's the biggest pillock of all Cardiff" Gwen said rolling her eyes. "You're own mum knows, she asked me to be there when you finally realised you're gay"

"Mum knows?!"

Gwen patted Andy's arm sympathetically. "Another drink?" she asked, Andy nodded dumbfound. "And then we'll work on you confessing to Yan?"

"What?!"

"Well you got to sooner or later, better sooner than later or otherwise we'll all be messed up for our exams"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Rose was crying very hard now, her face buried into her hands and loud sobs making her whole body shake, Owen awkwardly patted her on the back while exchanging a 'please help!' look with Tosh who bit her lip nervously. The pair of them were so emotionally messed up that they had no idea how to comfort someone, wonderful and Owen actually thought he had a chance with Tosh....

_Bugger_! He thought to himself. _I'm never going to work this out, am i?_

The door opened and a young man, roughly thirty-ish with wild brown hair and dark eyes came in. His face softened when he saw Rose and he took her small hands into his large ones, pulling her off the desk and into his arms. "Oh, Rose" he whispered stroking her hair. "I'm sorry about this, I'm Dr John Noble and you are?"

"Owen Harper and this is my friend Toshiko Sato" Owen said pulling Tosh to his side and keeping an arm round her shoulders.

"Oh this is brilliant!" Dr Noble exclaimed, Owen glared at him and his grin faltered. "Sorry, I didn't mean the situation, I just meant meeting you, I mean my stepbrother talked about you two, you're brilliant do you know that Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato? You're both fan-bloody-tastically brilliant! I know John would want you there at his funeral, it'll be in a few days, please come? Donna would love to meet you too; Martha and Mickey will be there as well. You'll love them, well maybe not Mickey but Martha's a doctor and-"

"Look, will you just shut up?" Owen snapped. "Your girlfriend is upset and so is mine. I'm going to take her home and I advise you do the same Dr Noble"

Tosh blushed brightly at what Owen said, it appears he was unaware that he had just called her his girlfriend as he dragged her to the door, pushing past the stunned Dr Noble.

"St Mary's church, this Friday at three. Please be there" Dr Noble called.

Owen turned round. "Count on it" he said firmly before leaving the room with Tosh in tow.

TWTWWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The next day, Owen and Tosh were sombre and quiet as they worked through their homework together in their own little world. Jack worried had tried to interfere and make them laugh but when Owen told him what had happened, Jack backed off and left them alone in respect. Andy was now acting normal around Ianto again causing him to grin at Gwen and thank her for sorting it out. It was a very quiet day for the group of friends.

Then Friday came and Owen stood there stiffly in the church in his black suit with Tosh by his side in a black skirt and matching blouse, crying her eyes out in the ceremony. It was heartbreaking to see that not many people had turned up. A few work colleagues, the few people in Dr Smith's photos that were alive and a couple of strangers that Owen didn't know.

A ginger haired woman came to him after the coffin had been taken to be cremated and shook hands with him, in a firm grip that he immediately respected. "Donna Noble, I'm John's stepsister and the skinny twig's actual sister" she said calmly. "You're Owen Harper; it's good to meet you. John admired you a lot, he says you have potential and he doesn't say that about any random sod"

Owen smiled. "Thank you, this is Toshiko Sato. I'm so sorry for your loss, Dr Smith was an amazing man" he said.

She smiled warmly at him. "No sunshine, it's just as much as your loss as mine. He wanted to have you as his intern so much. You better be the doctor he wanted to see you be, you got me? If you two don't succeed I shall hunt you down and smack you" Tosh giggled wearily and Donna handed her a card. "My number if you ever need someone to talk to"

"Thank you" Tosh whispered blushing lightly.

A black woman with many small braids came over. "Donna, who's this?" she asked lightly.

"John's kids so to speak. Toshiko was a patient and Owen a volunteer, John talked about nothing but them last Christmas, remember?"

"Oh yes," she turned to face them, "Dr Martha Jones, Dr Smith had tutored me when I was an intern, it's so nice to meet you and that idiot over there is my husband Mickey Smith"

"Who are you calling an idiot?" came a London accented shout.

Ignoring her husband's yell Martha passed a card to Owen. "If you ever have any questions, medical or educational just email me and I'll try to give you an answer, no promises though I'm not a Dr Smith, he was fantastic"

"Thank you" Owen said. "I'm sorry but its best if we went. My Nan had only come out of hospital recently and she needs someone to sort out supper"

"Of course, take care Mr Harper. I hope I'll be able to call you Dr Harper one day" Martha said kindly. "You too Miss Sato, take good care of yourself"

"I will" Tosh said quietly giving Martha a shy smile before letting Owen lead her out of the church ground and down the street. They waved goodbye in acknowledgement of Donna's and Dr Noble's shouted goodbyes and Rose's weak smile, she had obviously been crying again. After a few moments of silence, Tosh looked up at him. "I'm going to miss, Dr Smith" she said gently. "He was like a father to me, he always listened and gave me good advice"

"Yeah," Owen croaked, "good man"

"Owen" Tosh whispered, "It's ok to cry"

Owen looked down to look at Tosh properly, her dark eyes were slightly bloodshot from all the crying she had done that past hour. He tried to smile but the sincerity and love and care in her eyes not to mention her own grief and sadness broke him. He grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face into her black silky hair and took a deep shaky breath.

And then he cried.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The rest of the month went quickly. The group had the quickly finish off their coursework before the Easter holidays, it got so hectic that even Gwen's stalker had stopped bothering Gwen during those few weeks. Before they knew it, it was April the first, Ianto's birthday. That day fell on a sunny Saturday and Gwen had suggested a picnic party with alcohol, Tosh had unfortunately been unable to come since she was on a university opening day trip and Owen backed out the day before. Ianto and Andy went to Gwen to find her packing up the last of the picnic into a cooler.

"Where's Jack? I thought he'll be all over you by now" Andy asked trying to take a peek at what Gwen was slipping into the cooler, she slapped his hand away and grinned at them.

"Jack couldn't make it, family stuff. So it's just us three, I tried inviting Emma and Carys but they're both busy" Gwen said leaning up to kiss Ianto's cheek. "Happy Birthday Yan"

"How'd you know Jack's not going behind you're back with something gorgeous and sexy?" Andy teased.

"Because Ianto's here" Gwen shot back causing Ianto to blush and Andy to purse his lips together. "Doesn't matter where Jack is today. Today is all about Ianto and we haven't had time just us three in ages. If Jack actually is cheating on me then I'll kill him but until then let's enjoy it"

"All for one and one for all" Andy agreed looping his arm into Gwen's while Ianto picked up the other bag before linking his into Andy's other arm.

The three walked together to the park in laughter as Andy continued to make the worst jokes ever known to man. Once they got to the park they noticed the play area was filled with loud children, obviously some parents were taking the advantaged of sunshine to get their children some fresh air. They walked further along to some woodland where some picnic tables would be found along the path a small three year old girl with thick black hair and dazzling blue eyes ran along the path with Owen Harper chasing after her.

"Alice! Alice stop running off, we'll get to the park soon but you have to wait for your Daddy" Owen snapped trying to make a grab for her only to stumble over a stone and trip up. "Fu....fudge!" he spat out.

Gwen giggled. "Babysitting, Owen?"

Owen looked up surprised and then shot up onto his feet quickly. "Yeah, that's right taking care of this little sprog for a cousin of mine. She's a hyper little bugger when she wants to be, aren't you Alice?"

Alice looked up at him innocently before giggling, she saw someone behind Owen and grinned up at him with a sweet child innocence that could never be faked. The man behind Owen was someone that made two out of the three friends' hearts beat faster and faces flush a bright pink. Alice ran over to him and threw her arms round his neck.

"Daddy!"

Gwen's mouth dropped open, Ianto dropped the bag filled with bottles of wine and the smash could be heard from the surrounding strangers. Andy made fish faces and Owen smacked a hand to face.

"April fools?" he said weakly.


	23. Chapter 23

Alice looked up at him innocently before giggling; she saw someone behind Owen and grinned up at him with a sweet child innocence that could never be faked. The man behind Owen was someone that made two out of the three friends' hearts beat faster and faces flush a bright pink. Alice ran over to him and threw her arms round his neck.

"Daddy!"

Gwen's mouth dropped open, Ianto dropped the bag filled with bottles of wine and the smash could be heard from the surrounding strangers. Andy made fish faces and Owen smacked a hand to face.

"April fools?" he said weakly.

"Not bloody likely" Gwen spat out, she made wild hand gestures to Alice. "What...how....why....who....oh bloody hell Jack why didn't you tell me?"

"Please don't swear in front of Alice" Jack said pleasantly. "I don't want her picking up bad words" Andy and Ianto exchanged sceptic looks, Jack wanting to be a good influence? Impossible, the man is always a bad influence! "Alice sweetie, why don't you take Uncle Owen to the swings while Daddy explains to his girlfriend and friends something"

"Yay! Swings, swings, swings!" Alice chanted running from Jack to Owen, hugging Owen's legs tightly. "We're going to the swings!"

"Oh yay" Owen said sarcastically as he took Alice's hand and led her away from the group. The three turned to face Jack with an expectant look, he grinned at them but when their glares got fiercer he swallowed.

"Right then, let's go over to this bench and I'll explain it to you" Jack said hastily leading the trio to a nearby bench, they only got a few steps when an older woman grabbed Ianto by the arm.

"I hope you're going to clean that mess up young man. A child or animal could get hurt from all that glass!"

"Yes, yes of course" Ianto said quickly, Andy stepped back to join him.

"I'll help, Gwen you can catch us up later" he said cheerfully.

"Ok" Gwen said allowing Jack to drag her to the bench, she watched half amused as Andy and Ianto began to clumsily clean the glass and wine mess up, accidentally bumping heads or brushing fingers. Jack chuckled slightly too and the two of them sat down on the bench, Gwen's breathing took a hitch when Jack slid is hand into hers. She was scared that everything will change, that he'll no longer have her not because he didn't want her but he couldn't....because he was secretly married or something stupidly dramatic like that. "So...you're a father" she said breaking the silence.

"Yeah" Jack said sheepishly. "Forgot to use a condom during a summer fling almost three years ago"

"Plonker" she said immediately whacking him at the back of his head. "So, where's her mother?"

"Italy, Lucia Moretti, her name was. She was a beautiful girl who spoke very good English, her father used to be the Italian ambassador in America, a good friend of my Dads... not any more though" Jack sighed. "Mr Moretti is a very old fashioned man and demanded me to marry Lucia, when both of us refused he told Dad that their friendship is no more, no friend would let his son blemish a friend's daughter's reputation or something like that. Mr Moretti was a strict catholic man, so when Alice was born he was going to send her for adoption, Dad and Mum interfered and took her back here and I've been raising her with the help of my parents and Owen ever since"

"With the help of Owen? The poor girl" Gwen said worriedly.

Jack flicked her forehead and chuckled. "Owen is really good with kids; he wants to be a doctor working with children who have terminal illness. Total softie at heart that git is"

Gwen smiled fondly. "So does Lucia visit often?" she asked.

Jack shook his head. "Her father forbids any contact with the Harkness family now. However I have her friend's email address and send photos and stories of Alice, so she's not left out"

"That's sweet...does Alice know about her mother?"

Jack shook his head. "She's too young to understand, right now she thinks all she needs is me, my parents and Owen. When she's a little older and realises she's missing a mother I'll tell her and get her in contact with Lucia but until then she knows nothing"

"That's awful! No child should know nothing about their own family!"

Jack sighed heavily. "I know Gwen, trust me I know. And before you start, because I know you will, I also know my constant girlfriend leaping would only confuse her, I wanted to find someone who I can be with long term" he turned his serious blazing stare to Gwen, it took a lot of self control to stop herself running from him or dragging him in for a heated snog. His blue eyes seemed to be on fire.... "I've always fancied you but you were happy with Rhys and I didn't want to disturb a solid relationship for a fling. When I found out you were single I desperately wanted one date, just one, but we worked out so well and I really don't want us to separate. I was going to tell you after the exams....i want you to be part of mine and Alice's life"

Gwen huffed. "That's emotional blackmail, you know?" she said.

Jack clung tightly on her hand. "Is it working?" he asked.

She quickly pecked his lips, again and again and again until it became a heated kiss between both of them. When the need to breathe struck them, they pulled away and she looked up at him with puffy red lips and a calm expression, she had made a decision that will affect the rest of her life.

"Yes it's definitely working" she said huskily. "I want to meet Alice properly. If I'm going to be part of her life she needs to know my name and who I am to her and you"

Jack grinned in a boyish way; he pulled Gwen up and began to walk hurriedly to the play park area. "Come on then, no time to waste, it's better sooner than later, why wait?" he said cheerfully, she couldn't help but laugh as he dragged her along the pavement and into the colourful play park. With bright yellow and red slides, green and blue swings and animal shaped seesaws. Owen looked a bit tired as he pushed Alice in her barred swing and darted quickly to the other side growling like a monster as he pushed her back. Alice was giggling loudly and clapping her hands for her 'Owen monster'; Jack firmly held the swing to a stop and picked Alice out of the swing holding her to him closely. "Alice baby, my little princess I want you to meet my big princess"

Alice looked up at Gwen with her blue blinking eyes. Gwen felt a lump in her throat as she realised the little toddler had Jack's eyes. "Hello Alice" she said smiling. "I'm Gwen Cooper and you're Daddy's girlfriend" she held her hand out for her to shake, when she was a young child she hated being treated like one and wanted to be respected by adults, Alice however didn't mind being treated like a child as she took Gwen's hand and clung to it tightly.

"Hello" she said grinning brightly. "Play with me, please! 'Ncle Owen won't anymore!"

"I didn't say that" Owen grumbled, slightly upset at being replaced by Gwen. "But I could use a break and look for the two poofs, where did they vanish off to?"

"Had to clean up some broken wine bottles" Jack said. "It must have been part of their picnic party, oh well I'll make it up to Yan by buying some more wine and we'll celebrate in style"

"After Gwen takes me to slides!" Alice said sternly struggling out of Jack's grasp and reaching out for Gwen.

Gwent felt her heart turn to melted butter as she stepped up and took the beautiful toddler out of Jack's arms and into her own. Alice was so warm and tiny, she smelt like baby powder and lavender and sweets, she was also the most beautiful little thing Gwen ever saw.

If it was possible Gwen fell in love all over again with something so precious. The only negative emotions she felt was jealousy of Lucia Moretti for creating something so beautiful with Jack and a little resentment for her not daring to stand up to her father for Alice.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author Note: for Paula as a belated birthday present....erm sorry for the gruesome ending....**

"So....where did you and Jack bugger off too?"

Gwen looked up from her textbook to see Andy leaning over the arm of the chair on one side and Ianto sitting on the other arm.

"We were looking for you after we cleaned up all the glass" Ianto said. "But then the police went after us and dragged us in for questioning. Something about us selling alcohol to underage children"

Andy snorted. "As if Yan would dare think doing such a disgusting thing. They took bloody forever and then Mum and Ianto's sister had to come in and give a statement and threaten all sort of law suits before they let us go"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Yeah well, it's over and done with and they apologised" Andy shrugged. "So go on and tell us all about Jack's baby"

"Shh" Gwen whispered looking around luckily no one had heard. Beckoning Andy and Ianto to lean in closer she retold the story Jack told her in a whisper.

"Could be worse" Andy said once Gwen had finished.

"How?" Ianto asked.

"He could be married to this Lucy girl-"

"Lucia" Gwen corrected.

"- and had five more kids" Andy finished off as if Gwen had never spoken. "So you're still with him, then?"

"Of course, I love Jack and Alice is the cutest child I have ever seen"

"You don't know her very well. Just wait, she'll make your life hell" Owen mumbled darkly as he threw himself on the chair opposite Gwen. "Don't you three girlies have something better do than gossip?"

"Don't you have hair to wash or teeth to brush?" Andy shot back.

The other two just shook their heads. "That was an awful come back, just plain terrible, I am ashamed to be your friend, Andy" Ianto said.

Andy ducked his head down and didn't answer, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Andy and knowing full well that the poor blonde probably took what Ianto said the wrong way, Gwen quickly changed the subject.

"How about a cup of coffee? I could murder for some"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen looked around nervously, it wasn't as if she hadn't been here before but she had never been in this place at the same time as Mrs Harkness and Alice. Last time she was in this house it was Owen's birthday party and she really didn't want to relive that experience, especially not with what happened later with Carys. The house itself was clean despite it being the home to a toddler and beautifully decorated with simple bold colours and matching accessories.

Grinning down at Gwen, Jack dragged her along the hallway to a clean kitchen where a tall woman with thick dark hair was humming under her breath as she baked.

"Hello Mum" Jack said cheerfully. "I want to introduce you to Gwen, my girl-"

"My god it must be getting serious if you're introducing her to me!" Mrs Harkness blurted out as she whirled round to face Jack and Gwen. She was a pretty woman with Jack's eyes and smile lines around her eyes and mouth, obviously Jack had gotten some of his looks from her. She gave Gwen a full head to toe scan, almost in a similar way as Jack checking her out only it wasn't sexual like Jack's, just merely examining some piece of art. "Well Jackie, she's a beautiful girl. Maybe a tad pale and a bit skinny but she's gorgeous, I like the look of her she seems to be a sensible girl, something you need if you ask me" both Jack and Gwen blushed. "Ah there you go, some colour in her cheeks. You sit down dear and tell me all about yourself while I finish off these cookies, do you like chocolate chip?"

"Who doesn't?" Gwen said rather cheekily causing Mrs Harkness to chuckle. "Thank you for having me, I don't want to put you out but I really wanted to see Alice again and Jack said I could-"

"She's definitely a keeper, Jack" Mrs Harkness said interrupting Gwen. "A teenage girl who doesn't mind her boyfriend having a child? Unheard of. You take good care of her and make her my daughter in law!" Jack let out a groan of embarrassment and Gwen blushed brightly as Mrs Harkness laughed once more. She broke off when a thumping sound on the stairs could be heard and smiled fondly up at the ceilings. "Sounds like Alice has woken up from her nap and is trying to walk down the stairs again, why don't you go and fetch her Jack?" Without complaining Jack swiftly left the room, leaving Gwen with her boyfriend's mother. Mrs Harkness went to the fridge and opened it. "Milk, juice or soda?"

"Erm...what sort of soda?" Gwen asked.

"Lemonade or Coke, Jack keeps telling me I need to adjust to the English slang but I haven't adjusted like he has"

"Ah, some Coke please"

Mrs Harkness pulled out a bottle and made her way across the kitchen to get a glass. "I must say Gwen, I am really happy that you accepted this part of Jack's life. My boy has done nothing but speak of you ever since he started that school, always the little things first like what you said or how much better you were in class than him and then by the beginning of this year he just won't stop talking about how beautiful you are and smart and witty and so on. It feels like I know you already dear, so just....don't break their hearts. Please"

"I won't" Gwen promised quietly and solemnly.

"Won't what?" Jack asked entering the room with Alice clinging tightly to his neck.

"Won't let you break her heart!" Mrs Harkness said immediately without even battering an eyelash. "I have quite decided that I want this girl in my family, now then Gwen, will you stay for dinner?"

"Yes, thank you"

Alice struggled away from Jack reaching out for Gwen. "'Wen, 'Wen, play with me!" she said. "Play dollies with me!"

"Please" Jack said firmly. "Play dollies with me _please_"

"Ok Daddy" Alice said patting his nose. "I'll play dollies with you"

Gwen and Mrs Harkness laughed while Jack pouted. "Just like his father, Jack would always be just this cheeky to me when I tried to teach him some manners. Now Alice you know what to say if you want something"

"Play dollies with me pwease" Alice asked sweetly.

"Of course I will" Gwen said standing up. "Where do you usually keep your dolls?"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack and Gwen walked home fairly late that evening, hand in hand while still laughing at the moment of Mrs Harkness telling Mr Harkness off, the poor man had immediately assumed that the only reason Jack introduced Gwen to him was because she was pregnant. Despite the insulting implication to that assumption Gwen had felt rather flattered because it meant she really was the first girl Jack had properly introduced to his parents. He really did love her.

She wasn't childish to think they would be together forever, her sweet but slowly dying relationship with Rhys had taught her that last her, but she could see them having a long term relationship, something beyond sixth form and that made her happy.

"Now both my parents and Alice adore you, they're going to want you to move in and stay there forever, I'll end up being the neglected child" Jack said dramatically wrapping his arms round her waist and swinging her round into a big bear hug.

Draping her arms around his neck and she grinned cheekily. "No more sex as well, I would never do it with my brother"

Jack looked horrified. "Then I must marry you immediately before Mum can adopt you. Where's the nearest registry office? Or the next plane to Las Vegas?"

Gwen laughed. "Let me go you madman, I am not marrying you just yet we're far too young" after Jack let her go she smoothed out her clothes and smiled up at him softly. "But I would love to see Alice and your parents more, they're so welcoming"

"So are your parents, when they're not too busy" Jack said immediately. "Besides if Alice got her way you would be there everyday to play dollies and other girly games. I just hope it means she'll use you as a model for her make over games instead of me"

"So that was why you went to school in those bobbles?"

"Mum helped, can you believe it?!"

Gwen laughed. "As much as I like to let your darling three year old pull at my hair, I really do need to revise for the exams, so maybe after the exams I can spend every waking moment with you and Alice"

Jack held her hand up to his face. "Promise?" he murmured, his hot breath tickling the skin of her hand.

"Promise" she said sincerely. He kissed her hand and then bent over to kiss her properly on the lips before leaving.

She turned to find that she was on her doorstep, a box with her name on had been left there as well, looking around she saw no one but Jack walking down the street whistling. Picking the box up and entering the house with a yell of 'I'm home' Gwen found herself alone. Opening the box Gwen found a large pile of sheets and a note on the top.

_Some notes for revision, don't let Harkness or the others drag you down. You're brilliant – your secret admirer._

Well...at least the stalker was good for one thing.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"'Wen, 'Wen, 'Wen" Alice shouted running towards Gwen as Jack chased her down the pavement pretending to be the tickle monster. "Save me 'Wen!"

Putting down her notebook Gwen jumped up and swept Alice up into her arms. "No worries Alice, you see we're the police, the good guys and this tickle monster will be put in prison for tickle harassment! Let's arrest him, partner"

"Yay! Yay! Yay! Take away tickle monster!" Alice cheered as Jack jogged away from them while Gwen ran lightly after him too. "Don't let him go 'Wen, monster has to pay for his crimes"

"I knew I shouldn't have let her watched the Bill last night" Jack muttered loudly enough for Gwen to hear.

"Serves you right, tickle monster. You are arrested for tickling harassment, you have the right to remain silent but anything you do say could be held against you in a court of law" Gwen said grabbing a fistful of Jack's t-shirt.

", I'm begging you officer, I'm innocent, this little girl was wanting some tickling!" Jack begged melodramatically, going on his knees before them.

"Did not!" Alice shouted.

"Did too"

"Not"

"Too"

"Not"

"Too"

"Not"

"Too"

"N-"

"Enough!" Gwen snapped. "You're not Alice's age Jack so stand up and take it like a man"

Jack stood up and cleared his throat. "You're right officer, I should be ashamed of myself but I beg you to let me go free and I'll take you out on a nice date and treat you like the princess you are"

Gwen bit her lip thoughtfully. "Only if you take me to a hotel afterwards and a nice one"

Jack smirked filthily. "Next Friday?"

"Done" Gwen and Jack shook hands before Jack used Gwen's hand to pull her close for a kiss, Alice immediately put her hands in away between their lips.

"No kissy 'Wen. No kissy! Must be happy ever after like Grappa and Granma!" Gwen and Jack blushed lightly and the implications Alice was saying. She didn't want them to kiss until they were married, if only she knew what they had done before Gwen met Alice, the poor girl would be horrified. "No kissy, 'Wen must be Mummy! Be my Mummy, 'Wen!"

Gwen felt star-strucked. It was almost like being hit by a lorry or walk in on Owen actually being nice. Never before had she even thought that it would be this easy. She thought she would just be 'Wen to Alice until she and Jack broke all ties but here Alice was demanding Gwen to be her mother. She knew Mr and Mrs Harkness liked her well enough and Jack loved her dearly, enough to let her into his family but she never thought that Alice would want her to be her Mummy....

"Yes" Gwen whispered. "As long as your Daddy doesn't mind, I will be your Mummy"

Jack beamed and Alice squealed in delight as Jack pulled them both in a crushing group hug. "Let's get ice cream to celebrate!" Jack shouted delighted.

"Yay! Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

That black hole of hated for Jack Harkness grew even more, sucking in everything but their admiration for Gwen Cooper. How dare he push his little spawn of a brat on her? How dare he make her become a mother when she wasn't out of school yet? Gwen Cooper was an independent 21st century woman who deserved the world and more. She should not be shoved in the kitchen with a kid bouncing on her hip demanding for more of everything.

That little whelp even looked like him! A splitting image of Jack Harkness if he was a woman. She even had his ignorance and arrogance down pat as she ran ahead of her bastard of a father and poor captured Gwen. The grabby git was too busy slobbering over Gwen to even realise how far his daughter had toddled off to, what a terrible father, good thing they were going to put the brat out of her misery before it was too late.

Dressed in black, sunglasses, hair covered with helmet, no one would ever recognised them and they could get away with it easily.

Also it's a mercy killing. The child may be innocent now despite her selfish demands but eventually she'll become a slag and slut just like her father is a man-whore and she'll end up with more than just one kid.

Peddling furiously they felt a fulfilling satisfaction as their wheel hit the small body of the whelp and even more as they heard the thud of the brat landing on the pavement. They slowed down the moment they exited the park and laughed delighted as they heard the bastard Harkness howl in agony and pain.

"ALICE!"


	25. Chapter 25

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

Apart from the constant sound of the heart monitor, the room was deadly silent as Jack sat on one side of the small cot and Gwen on the other. Both were blank faced and pale, smudges under their eyes showed Owen how little the pair had slept since the accident. Squeezing Jack's shoulder he sat down next to him and nodded to Alice.

"No change then" he said wincing at how loud and uncaring his voice sounded.

Jack shook his head as his grip on Alice's hand tightened. Owen hated this. He hated seeing such a little girl look even smaller and deathly pale as she laid there on a plastic cot, wires sticking out of her arm. No life, no smiles, no loud squealing voice and no laughter. It was almost worse than death.

"Come on Gwen" Andy said gently as he tried to pull her out of her seat. "It's your birthday, you don't want to be in here, and I know it's hard and you don't want to leave her but you can't live in here"

"Andy's right Gwen" Owen said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "You and Jack have been in here all visiting hours for the past week and there hasn't been any change. You'll be doing your exams next week and you need some sleep. Let me, Tosh and the two poofs stay with her. Mr and Mrs Harkness will look after her as well"

Gwen shook her head. "No" she croaked. "I have to stay, I have to be there to say sorry when she wakes up...i have to....i have to do _something." _She let out a sob. "_It's_ my fault"

Jack looked up at her. "No it isn't" he said quietly. "Gwen this is not your fault! It's that sick psycho and when I get my hands on him I'll make him pay for every single disgusting thing he's done from following you and hurting Emma to what he did to Alice"

Owen looked warily at the side filled with stuff toys for Alice. The day after the accident a bouquet of white orchids were delivered with a message to Gwen from the stalker admitting to attempted murder of Alice. Jack had furiously smashed the vase and it took Mrs Harkness and Ianto to calm Gwen down and get her back into the room. The police were now investigating and have taken everything the stalker had given to Gwen and Jack; unfortunately they can't work out who it is because every message had been typed up and printed. The disadvantages of modern technology.

"Gwen. This person is a very sick and revolting and disgusting excuse of a human and it is all their fault. You are kind and sweet and gentle and beautiful those qualities would draw anyone to you. It's someone like them that would dare dirty that!"

Owen looked at Tosh in awe. For the time he had known her she had never gotten angry, scared yes, shy definitely, tearful most certainly and happy very rarely but angry? Never. But here she sat bright pink cheeks and eyes flashing with fury and actually speaking loudly with anger. It's almost like she had finally woken up from a deep slumber, like he has finally met the real Toshiko Sato after all these months and god she was beautiful.

Tosh stood up. "Ianto go and get a cake, after all the birthday girl needs a cake" Ianto smiled and nodded before leaving while everyone else stared at Tosh. She blushed. "Sorry was I being presumptuous?" she asked timidly reverting back to her shy self.

"No" Jack said smiling faintly. "You're right and so is everyone else. My baby girl is stable and will wake up the moment we catch this scumbag, I am sure of it. She might even wake up now just to wish her Mummy a Happy Birthday"

Everyone looked rather surprised at the last bit as Gwen smiled back at Jack and took his hand over the cot. "She'll make it, after all she's your daughter" she said firmly.

"_Our _daughter" Jack corrected.

Andy looked confused. "I thought she was some Italian chick's kid?"

Owen rolled his eyes. "Idiot" he muttered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

When Owen got home his Nana hurried towards him with a gleeful look in her eyes as she clutched an envelope to her chest. "How is the baby?" she asked concerned despite her happiness.

"Alice is stable but she hasn't improved yet" Owen said giving his Nana a one armed hug. "Good news is it?" he asked nodding to the envelope.

"I don't know you have to tell me" Nana said smirking evilly as she handed the envelope to him.

Owen took it carefully and paled at the sight of it. The long envelope with a familiar crest on the top right hand corner with curvy italics underneath. Edinburgh University. The place was brilliant for all various subjects particularly dentistry and medicine. To have Edinburgh University on your CV is equal to having Cambridge and Oxford. Owen had gone to an interview the weekend before last but had long forgotten it since Alice had been hospitalised. Swallowing hard he slowly opened the envelope.

_Dear Mr Owen Harper. _

_We would like to congratulate you on having a secure place in Edinburgh University. We have found your grades to be adequate and your self a polite young man willing to learn....._

Owen could barely read the rest. He got into his first choice. Edinburgh University wanted him, Owen Harper local twat, in their university! He would be going to Edinburgh University!

A mix of pride and happiness took over him as he swept his grandmother into a bear hug and cheered in joy. "I got in! I got in Nana!" he shouted over and over again.

Nana clapped her hands happily. "Oh I knew it! My darling boy was always the brightest of them all! You shall do wonderfully in Scotland"

And then he landed on Earth with a loud bang.

Scotland.

He would be in Scotland. Hours and hours away from Cardiff. No one would be here to look after Nana and make sure she wouldn't have a nasty fall. No one would be here to help Jack take care of the little monster called Alice. And no one would be here to hold Tosh's hand.

Tosh who he had only just realised how beautiful she truly was.

"Nana" he croaked. "I can't go"

"Nonsense" she said sternly wagging a finger at him. "I have talked it over with Mrs Harkness and she has invited me to live with her and her family for the next three years. After that I'll look into finding a nursing home so I can rest and spend time with people my own age. So you have nothing to worry about with me and Alice, the pair of us can keep each other company and I dare say it would be nice to look after a baby again"

"Tosh" he whispered blushingly.

"She's a smart girl. I would bet all my bingo money that you'll end up in the same residence hall as her" Nana said grinning. "I like her. I wouldn't mind having her as my granddaughter in law just so you know"

"Nana!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"SUZIE! SUZIE GETS DOWN HERE NOW!"

Suzie Costello flinched as she heard her father's yells from downstairs. They were slightly slurred which meant he had been drinking again. She had tried desperately hard to stop him after her mother died but nothing stopped him. In fact her attempts made him resent her even more than before. He never liked her much and when her mother died he blamed her even though it was natural causes.

With a heavy sigh she continued to ignore him as she re-read her psychology notes for the exam in a couple days.

"I SAID GET DOWN HERE YOU STUPID UGLY BITCH!"

She looked up at her favourite photo and smiled sadly. "One day, I'll be free from him and we'll be together" she promised the photo. "Not long now. Just a few more weeks"

"I SAID NOW BITCH!"

Steeling herself for what was to come Suzie robotically put her notes away and left her room. Her face a mask to hide her emotions from her pathetic excuse of a father and her hands balled into tight fists so her nails could dig into her wrists and remind her what was to come in the future.

She had many plans and her father would be the first to be destroyed.


	26. Chapter 26

"Wahoo! Exams are over!" Andy cheered as he ran into the common room and threw himself onto a spare sofa. "I'm knackered!"

"Aren't we all" Owen said yawning. "So glad that's over, Tea-Boy where's our coffee?"

"If you say please and thank you, you may have it" Ianto said grumpily as he poured hot water into several mugs. "Have you thought that I might be tired too?"

"You're a superhuman, you don't get tired you just make all of us feel inferior" Andy joked as Ianto handed him his coffee. "But thank you for caring"

"Thanks Yan" Gwen said warmly as she took a sip from hers. "Can you believe this is our last coffee in this room?"

"A bit hard to believe" Jack said.

"Hey, I reckon we should spray paint something on the wall as a leaving message" Owen said snickering.

"Immature prat" Gwen muttered rolling her eyes. "Put your free time in preparing for Uni, have you decided where to go?"

Owen looked a little uncomfortable. "I got a confirmed place" he said awkwardly.

"That's brilliant, where?" Jack asked excitedly.

"Edinburgh" Owen muttered.

Everyone stared at him in silence. Andy, Ianto and Gwen in a mix of sheer shock and happiness, they were happy for him but were shocked that he was actually smart enough to get into such an important school. Jack looked a bit upset, happy and surprised, he didn't want Owen to leave but he was happy for him and was surprised that Owen got into the school he wanted most.

Tosh was an expression of pure joy. "Thank god" she whispered. "I was worried that I would be alone"

Owen looked a bit taken back but smirked. "Well you need someone to make sure you don't end up in trouble" Tosh blushed lightly but kept on smiling. "So you losers staying here in Cardiff then?"

"Yeah, Andy, Ianto and me are doing Cardiff Uni full time while Jack has applied to go straight into training" Gwen said clutching Jack's hand. "Until then it's waiting at the hospital until Alice wakes up"

Owen nodded grimly. "I'll drop by every so and so. I plan to spend the summer volunteering at the hospital"

"Excuse me you guys" a deep voice said from behind Owen.

"Jesus!" Andy said sitting up and spilling hot coffee down him.

Tosh's eyes widened and Ianto, Gwen and Jack schooled their expressions into polite smiles while Owen looked horrified.

"Just wanted to remind you that the school prom will be at the Thistle hotel from seven o'clock till late on July the twelfth. It's a masquerade theme so remembers masks" Janet said ignoring Andy's reaction to her.

"I hope you get a mask that covers your whole face. We don't need to have nightmares on our special night" Owen said without thinking.

"You're so mean!" Janet wailed before running out in tears.

"Smooth Owen, very smooth" Jack said dryly.

"Heartless bastard" Gwen muttered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"I think you should go to this prom" Mrs Harkness said suddenly later that evening as Gwen helped her wash the dishes. She met Gwen and Jack at the hospital and after two hours of sitting with Alice she dragged them back for some dinner, declaring that just because the exams were over didn't mean they can stop living. "You two need to have some fun and Alice is stable. She hasn't change for the past three weeks and unless our most wanted miracle happens she won't. You two kids go out and have some fun while I stay with her"

"Mum, I feel guilty as it is lea-"

"That's an order! You have fun or I won't ever let you see Alice again" Mrs Harkness said sternly. "You should be treating Gwen with the love and respect she deserves. Don't look at me like that dear, you've been wonderful as it is with being accepting of Alice and visiting her all the time in hospital and I think a night out is what the pair of you need"

Gwen blushed lightly and Jack smiled weakly. "Well..." Jack stood up and dramatically went down on one knee. "Gwen Cooper, the love of my life would you do me the honour of going to the prom with me?"

"All right" Gwen said giggling.

Mr Harkness had the unfortunate timing to walk in at that precise moment. "He's proposing?!" he yelped. "My god she really is pregnant!"

"Dad!"

Bilius passed the large white box to Suzie just outside her home where the TV was blaring loudly and her father was drunkenly shouting at the footballers. At least he wasn't out here having a go at Suzie. Suze opened it slightly and peeked in, she then promptly shut it with a satisfied smirk.

"Thank you Bilius. It's perfect"

Bilius had no need to ask her what was in the box. He knew already. It was a beautiful prom dress in a deep green colour that would suit her wonderfully. He noticed that Suzie had already had her hair done for the occasion, it was shorter, the curls wavier than curly, and was a darker shade of brown. Made her look better than before but unfortunately it made the fact she had a black eye far more obvious than before.

Suzie caught him staring and glared at him. "Don't pretend you care" she spat out. "I know you don't care for people"

He blinked and pursed his lips together. "I care" he told her. "More than you think"

Suzie shrugged dismissively. "Doesn't matter. In a few weeks I'll be gone and, free from this place after all who would be free themselves must strike the blow. Better even to die free than to live slaves"

"Fredrick Douglass" Bilius said immediately. "But remember Suzie, We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home"

"Edward R Murrow" Suzie said with a blank facial expression. "Not the best quote you could have come up with"

"I'm not clever as you"

Suzie smiled. "Well goodbye Bilius"

"Goodbye Suzie Costello"

Andy and Ianto were celebrating the end of exams on their own in a pub. Gwen and Jack were busy being concerned parents, Tosh didn't like alcohol and Owen didn't want to hang out with them. Emma and Carys was also out with their boyfriends from other schools leaving them alone.

"I reckon we should go to the prom together" Andy said as casually as he could.

Ianto frowned. "I don't think it's possible. Jack and Gwen would want to go as a couple on a date and Owen is obviously dying to work out how to ask Tosh. Also Emma and Carys have informed me earlier they'll be going with their boyfriends"

"Err....i didn't mean as a group of friends" Andy muttered blushing brightly. "I meant you and me on a date"

Ianto stared at him blankly.

"Look don't take this the wrong way mate, but I've fancied you mad for months and then somehow it grew into something more....deeper. I know you got a thing for Jack but well you can't pine for a guy who's interested in your best friend. It never ends well. you don't have to say yes at all, we could all just put this down to the drink and forget it ever happened if you want but I really, really would like to go to the prom with you and admit it to someone other than Gwen....I'm gay"

Ianto remained blank. Staring at Andy with empty eyes that made him feel uneasy and desperate to run out of this pub and hide under his bed for the rest of the century.

"So....What do you say?"

**Author's Note: err I was trying to upload this when I realised the breaks in between scenes have mysteriously vanished, I tried to put them back in but they won't show....so just pretend there's a TWTWTW thing going on between scenes. **


	27. Chapter 27

Ianto remained blank. Staring at Andy with empty eyes that made him feel uneasy and desperate to run out of this pub and hide under his bed for the rest of the century.

"So....What do you say?"

Ianto remained silent for what felt like an eternity but in reality was only two minutes. Andy fidgeted impatiently before snatching his glass and draining what's left of his beer before slamming the glass down on the table.

"Oh come on Yan! Don't leave me hanging here! Just say no and let me hide under my bed in shame"

Ianto smiled. "I'm just surprised that you finally admitted it out loud"

Andy had the urge to bang his head against the table. "Not you too! Was I really that obvious?"

"Andy you have an Orlando picture in your locker. Also even my Dad knew it and he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed" Ianto said rolling his eyes. "And you are right. About Jack. I can't spend my life pining away for him when he has eyes only for Gwen but honestly I don't know if I'm a hundred per cent gay, I really did like Lisa"

Andy grimaced. "I guess so....how about just the prom and if you don't like it we can forget all about it and move on?"

Ianto finished his drink. "Hmm..." he said thoughtfully. "I'll need to get another drink before I can give you an answer"

Andy actually did bang his head against the table this time and let out a loud groan as Ianto smirked. Ianto was a sheer evil genius that could make Hitler look immature. Honestly the man had the patience of a saint and could carefully take over the world successfully and make everyone worship him before people realised what was happening! Ianto was also a right git who liked to tease!

After a few minutes Ianto came back with two more beers and sat down. "I've decided..."

"Yes?"

"That if we do go to the prom I'll be the one to pick you up at yours at seven o'clock because my father would make the whole night unpleasant if it was the other way round" Ianto said calmly taking a sip. "I have also decided we shall wear plain black tuxedos where you can have a white mask and I a black one to represent yin and yang. When we get there we can annoy the hell out of Owen"

"So that's a yes then?" Andy asked eagerly.

"It's a maybe" Ianto said causing Andy to deflate. He then smirked once more. "Of course it's a yes"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen hovered outside of the flat door nervously. He never had a problem with this before but then he never deeply cared for someone like this before either. Dianne was all beauty, rough yet somehow charming wooing and lots of sex. There had been no emotional connection, no Christmas presents, and no plans to spend the next years together and definitely no saving one from psychos either. He was half tempted to run off and never ask Tosh just so he doesn't hurt her. She seemed so delicate and fragile and that was before he found out about her mental breakdown from before. Growling quietly Owen ran a hand through his hair before he harshly knocked the door.

The door opened a crack and he could see Tosh's eyes peering round before she threw the door open with a small smile on her face. "Hello Owen, is it time to meet the others already? I must have lost track of time" she blushed lightly and leaned closer to him to whisper, "I've been watching some anime that a relative had sent over as a present"

Owen grinned. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me" Tosh quickly slipped on her black pumps that were waiting by the door and then grabbed her bag before closing the door behind her. "Tosh....I'm not good at this sort of thing....rather rubbish really but I know Jack and Gwen are all loved up and the two gays are still dancing round their feelings and I never really felt this way about anyone before – not that I'm not experienced! Trust me I am but I never really, really lo....ah admired someone before and.....well you, me, prom, dancing how about it?"

Tosh looked rather dazed, her cheeks were flaming red and a small smile was dancing across her face. She shook her head fiercely and then met his eye with what was probably a lot of determination for her. "Yes" she whispered fiercely.

"Brilliant! Come on then" Owen took her hand and dragged her down the stairs. He paused half-way through a flight of stairs and turned to face her again. "Just so you know, since we're definitely going to spend university together I fully expect to be allowed to take you out for pizza, drinks and other datey things"

"Snooker?" Tosh asked timidly and Owen grinned remembering yesterday when she surprised him by kicking his arse thoroughly in snooker.

"Yes snooker, I did to repair what little of my reputation I have left" Owen said. "Jack would never let me live it down"

"Ah poor Owen" Tosh said half sympathetic and half teasing.

"I'm sure you can make it up to me" Owen said dismissively.

"How?"

"Like this" He then bent down and quickly pressed a swift kiss on the corner of her mouth. "Come on, we're going to be late" he said now dragging a stunned Tosh down the stairs.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Well about time" Jack said cheerfully after Owen announced to them that he was taking Tosh to the prom. "I thought hell was gonna freeze over before you got round to asking her out. Now then Tosh I have to say if you break our precious Owie's heart I'll have to hunt you down myself, got it?"

Tosh looked terrified and Owen looked pissed off, both Andy and Ianto snorted and Gwen smacked Jack at the back of his head. "Stop it, you're scaring her!" she snapped.

"Sorry Tosh, I was only joking" Jack muttered rubbing his head.

"And don't call me Owie!" Owen whined.

"Never gonna happen, I'll mention it in my best man speech when you and Tosh get married and have lots of cute half-Jap babies"

"Jack, I'm going to kill you" Owen growled.

"Now then, perhaps we should discuss how we travel to the prom" Ianto said calmly stepping in between Jack and Owen. "Andy suggested we should all rent a limo but I assume we all want to go out separately and enjoy our dates"

"As long as you all save me a dance I'm not complaining" Jack said. "I want to visit Alice beforehand anyway. Doctors say she moved a little last night and think she might wake up soon"

"That's brilliant! Why didn't you tell us, you wanker?" Owen said joyfully.

"Because you overwhelmed by announcing your marriage to Tosh" Jack said cheekily. "I'm not ready to be a godfather just yet Owen"

"Jack you pathetic hypocrite, you're already are a father" Gwen said rolling her eyes. "Ignore him, Tosh he's only being a tease" Tosh nodded though she was still blushing and looked uncertain. "Now then, I'm going to go looking for a dress and mask and I'm going to take Tosh and Andy with me. What are you blokes going to do?"

"Hey why am I coming? I am bloke to you know" Andy asked in a whiny voice.

"Oh sorry Andy, I assumed you would be wearing a dress. Pink suits blondes you know"

Andy scowled as everyone laughed and teased him even more.


	28. Chapter 28

"You're beautiful!"

The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. Tosh blushed brightly and Nana had an irritating knowing smile on her face as she held up her camera and took a photo of Owen standing on the stairs looking gobsmacked. Tosh stood there in his landing wearing a simple white dress with white wings and white and silver glitter mask that covered the top half of her face. She truly was an angel though he couldn't help wonder how much mocking she got as she made her way here. He would have gone and picked her up himself but her mother was out and Nana wanted photos....

"Stand next to her and wrap an arm round her shoulders, yes that's it, smile and say cheese" Nana instructed without even waiting for the word cheese she quickly snapped several pictures causing Tosh to continually blink as she recovered from the blue white flashes. "Oh yes you two are a pretty couple, I'm swooning at the sight of my little Owen looking like a proper gentleman. You take care of him dear and make sure he doesn't drink too much and you Owen make sure this little angel gets home safely, I've been hearing all horrid things about the streets these days"

"Don't worry Nana, we'll be fine" Owen said leaning down to kiss his grandmother's cheek before opening the door for Tosh. "I'll be back very late so don't wait up for me"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

As Owen and Tosh entered the hotel social room a chubby girl in a full pale blue mask with glitter butterflies ran up to them. Not allowing them a second to even take in the decorated room or see who was there or not.

"Owen, I like your mask very Phantom of the Opera" the girl said in a simpering voice as she played with the skirt of her blue puffy dress. "And Toshiko I love your wings, where ever did you find them?"

"Err...thank you...Gwen helped me" Tosh murmured shyly as she stepped back to hide behind Owen.

"Oh Gwen, she looks very beautiful tonight too. Have you seen her and Jack? They're like a matching pair of romance!"

Owen raised an eyebrow at this girl's awful descriptions and annoying simpering voice. "I'm sorry but who are you?" he asked in a cold voice. The girl took her mask off and Owen leaped back in horror. "God Damnit Janet! Put that mask back on before you make someone cry!"

Janet let out a wail before running away in tears. Gwen and Jack then appeared in a dark red matching outfit. Gwen wore a strapless red gown with a puffy skirt and Jack wore a normal tuxedo with red velvet jacket both had matching red and black masks on.

"Owen you useless twat" Gwen said scornfully. "Learn some tact why don't you? Janet had only managed to gain some confidence this year!"

"I can't help it! My mouth just opens up and insults come out whenever I'm around her" Owen exclaimed.

"That's probably because she stalked you for three years straight since Year Eight" Jack said sympathetically.

"She did?!" Owen looked horrified.

"What you didn't notice? Owen there was a reason why I called you the King of the Weevils back then. Janet Weevil and her brothers used to follow you in puppy adoration"

"They did?!"

Gwen smacked her forehead. "I'm surrounded by idiots. Come on then, Andy and Ianto are already here and we all got a table together – with no teachers I might add"

"Brilliant, I don't need to hear a teacher lecturing me about one of my many pranks as they get drunk" Owen muttered.

"I doubt they would even want to think about you when they're out on a piss" Gwen said rolling her eyes.

"Oh trust me Gwen, we once crashed a teacher's Christmas party and they were all bitching about Owen in their drunken states. It was hilarious" Jack said snickering.

"Didn't you get off with the Teacher Assistant?" Owen said scrunching his forehead up in concentration as he tried to remember the party. He too may have gotten a little to drunk at the time.

"Yeah and she got fired because of it" Jack said sighing sadly. "Oh well at least I got gorgeous Gwen who is a far better kisser"

Gwen smiled and Owen gagged while Tosh bit her lip to smother a giggle. Just then Andy and Ianto magically appeared at their side.

"Whoa Tosh baby you look gorgeous, hey Owen wanna swap dates?" Andy joked causing Ianto to sigh and Owen to scowl.

"No" he said grabbing hold of Tosh's hand. "Stick to your own date before he finds something better"

"You wound me" Andy said flatly, he then turned to Gwen. "Have you seen the menus? It's so posh; I don't even know how to eat lobster!"

"Then choose something else" Gwen said with another eye roll before smiling at Jack who held her chair out for her. Owen did the same for Tosh and the lads just sat down peering at the menus while muttering darkly under their breaths and causing Gwen to snigger at them and Tosh to smile.

None of them were aware of the eyes watching them with disgust.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Dinner was fun. They had teased one another mercilessly and gotten tipsy on the free wine, when the lights dimmed and a DJ started playing music Jack led Gwen out onto the dance floor and has yet to let her sit down for a break. But she didn't mind, having Jack's strong arms around her and breathing in his gorgeous spicy scent while occasionally feeling his lips press against the back of her neck, Gwen honestly thought this was heaven and seeing Tosh's wings from the corner of her eye helped fuel this believe.

Tosh and Owen had started off dancing with a distance between them and their arms stiffly around one another both uncertain and nervous. After several more drinks of the spiked punch though the couple were all wrapped round one another, Tosh buried her head into Owen's shoulders and he was breathing in her hair with a content smile. Gwen thought it was one of the most adorable sights she'd seen since Alice.

Alice.

The thought sobered her a little. The thought of the little girl who should have seen them off with pouts and demands to go dancing with them but instead was lying on a hospital bed with wires sticking out of her made Gwen burn with fury. If she meets the person who did that to Alice she shall kill them with her bare hands.

Jack whirled her round and now she had full view of Andy and Ianto who both sat there chatting while occasionally sipping their drinks. Neither had gone up to dance yet and while Gwen knew that Ianto was a bit shy about dancing it gave Andy no excuse to ask him and drag Ianto onto the dance floor.

"Let's play matchmaker" she whispered in Jack's ear causing him to shudder slightly.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked in a husky voice that caused goose bumps. Whispering her plan they shared an evil smirk. "I take Andy so we can avoid jealousy issues" he said letting go of Gwen and heading towards the two boys while Gwen followed with a cheerful smile.

"Come on Yan, you're dancing with me" she said firmly grabbing hold of Ianto's hand and pulling him up.

"I can't Gwen" Ianto muttered looking embarrassed.

"Don't give me that shit! You can and will and you'll have fun. No one should be sitting around at their prom it's a night of fun with your classmates before you leave and become someone very superior to them and shame them all at your reunion"

Ianto's lips twitched and he allowed Gwen to pull him onto the dance floor with an eye roll. The pair danced for a while before Gwen asked him to spin her, dutifully doing so Gwen vanished and Andy replaced her.

"Ah"

"Yeah" Andy said awkwardly. "Jack and Gwen's fault"

"Evil matchmakers" Ianto said nodding understandingly.

"Yeah, Jack said I should ask you to dance"

"I thought we already are"

"So we are"

Jack and Gwen watched from the sidelines with satisfied smiles on their faces. Gwen swallowed and licked her lips. "I'm parched" she said turning to Jack. "You stay here while I'll get some drinks"

"All right then love, but don't make me wait too long" Jack said kissing her lips quickly before letting her go.

"I won't" Gwen promised.

They were bored. The dinner was boring as they were stuck on a table with some pathetic no-life teachers and some of the even more pathetic students. Their conversations were polite and seemly interesting but no once can hold their interest like Gwen can. After the boring dinner they were angry, burning hatred with the fierce urge to punch Jack Harkness as he groped Gwen all over on the dance floor.

They snorted at the stupidness of Ianto Jones and Andy whathisname. The blonde wasn't even worth the remembrance of a second name he was that insignificant. Those two homosexual idiots had to be encouraged by Gwen to get their act together just for a stupid dance. Though they had to thank them, because of them it gave them an opening to get to Gwen as she left the git Jack to get something to drink.

"Hello Gwen" they said quietly.

She looked up and smiled with that cute toothy grin showing her little gap. "Hello, are you ok?" she asked worriedly as she noticed their body language, how tense they were and shaky. All due to the mix of excitement and fear.

"I need to talk to you. It's about something important and I don't trust anyone but you" they whispered sounding so pathetically desperate that it made them want to puke. But it was the truth, they did need to speak to Gwen Cooper so very much and she was the only they trusted. "_Please _Gwen..."

Her expression was soft and sweet. "Of course, I believe Janet had arranged a room here in case someone got ill. I'll ask a teacher for a key and we'll talk up there" They held back a sneer at the mention of the idiotic Head Girl who for some irritating reason saw Owen Harper as a godsend. The man had insulted the poor girl since day one and hasn't stopped yet. Instead they merely nodded and murmured a thank you. "Wait here" Gwen said squeezing their hand tightly before rushing into the crowds. Within a few minutes she was back holding a key card. "Come on then, let's go"

The walk was a quiet and quick one. No one saw them since they were all in the social room getting themselves stupidly drunk and making fools out of themselves. Gwen opened up the room and switched the lights on. It was rather plain in colour but was obviously supposed to be modern expensive design.

"Would you like a cuppa?" Gwen asked picking up the kettle from the side.

They shook their head. "No thank you, Gwen"

She put the kettle back down and sat on the bed. "Ok then, what can I do for you Suzie?"

**Author's Note: and now you know who it is. If you want to see what happens next I would like at least seven reviews please. **


	29. Chapter 29

Suzie Costello suppressed a smile as she walked across the room to Gwen. Kneeling before her, she took her green mask off to reveal the black eye her father had given her not so long ago. Gwen gasped horrified and gently reached out to touch it, Suzie leaned into the gentle touch inwardly smiling at feeling the loving warmth of Gwen's touch.

"Who did this to you?" Gwen demanded.

"That's what I wanted to talk about" Suzie said meekly. "it's a bit difficult, I never told anyone this before...the teachers had their suspicions but the care workers kept saying nothing was happening" Gwen let out a snort of disgust and Suzie smiled weakly while inside she was congratulating herself on what a wonderful actress she could be. Oh she hated her father for what he does to her but she would never be meek and frightened and timid about it, that's something Toshiko Sato would do. She was cunning and devious and burning with the desire of revenge. "My mother died a few years ago and my father has been heart broken ever since....so he drinks and he blames every little thing on me..."

"Oh Suzie!" Gwen cried out before pulling Suzie in a loving hug. "Don't worry I'll sort it out. We'll go to the police station right now and show them this black eye. You give in your statement and they'll haul his arse in and slap him with an arrest warrant"

"No, we can't, he'll kill me!" Suzie begged.

"I won't let him near you!" Gwen snapped fiercely.

Suzie smiled. "You care for me that much?"

"Of course I do!" Gwen said stunned that Suzie had to ask. They were friends, of course not as close as Ianto and Andy and even Owen and Tosh but still Suzie was a good friend.

Suzie stood up. "Good, I was worried that I would have to do something violent to get you to co-operate with me"

"Suzie?"

"Gwen, I hate my father so much. He's obese, unhygienic, abusive and a drunk. Nothing but a waste of space. People around here are so cold or stupid and pathetic. But not you Gwen Cooper, you're warm and loving and so bright that you make stars seem dim" Suzie stared at Gwen with an unnerving heated stare, something almost close to lust but wasn't. "People like Harkness only dirty you. I would never dream of touching you more than a chaste touch. Gwen you just told me that you love me back and that's what matters. I'll let you on a little secret; I laced all of his beers with an overdose of cocaine. He'll be dead in days" Gwen looked horrified and pale, she slowly edged away from Suzie and further back on the bed. "Bilius has secured me two tickets to New Zealand, you and me Gwen; we can be together forever and ever and ever"

"My god" Gwen whispered terrified. "It was you....all this time it was _you_"

"Aren't you happy? I gave you everything you deserved, love, devotion and faithfulness. Far more than _Harkness_," she spat Jack's surname out in disgust, "could ever give you. Do remember Gwen we are talking about the biggest man-whore on Earth. I protected your virtue as much as I could unfortunately_ Harkness _had taken your virginity but don't worry I think my punishment is enough for him. Shame the little brat didn't die, we could have spared the future generation from a filthy slut"

Gwen felt fury bubble up in her. "_Alice!"_ she snarled. "Her name is _Alice_, not brat, not filthy slut, Alice Melissa Harkness! And she's the most beautiful baby ever! She is innocent, goddamnit!"

Suzie looked at her with pity. "Of course she would be pretty, she is Harkness' daughter. Oh Gwen I can see that bastard had ensnared you with his little girl's blue eyes. Can't you see I did it all for you, just like I did with Emma"

"Emma was my friend! She could have died!"

"She kissed you with disgusting drunken lips" Suzie spat out. "She deserved it and was a right twit to believe me when I told her the teacher needed to speak to her. She's not a bright girl but she's not the worst student either, no teacher needs to speak to such a boring average girl"

"Emma is wonderful! She's very creative and has beautiful designs for clothes" Gwen snapped, feeling defensive for her poor friend. "Don't you dare insult my friends!"

"See and this is what I love about you Gwen! You're so protective and loving and warm. You make the sun look shameful! Oh you have no idea how conflicting my love for you is" Suzie crawled onto the bed and leaned in close to Gwen who was trying to lean away from her. Suzie's breathe tickled Gwen's face as she spoke. "My love is like to ice, and I to fire: How comes it then that this, her cold so great. Is not dissolved through my so hot desire, But harder grows the more I her entreat? Or how comes it that my exceeding heat Is not allayed by her heart-frozen cold, But that I burn much more in boiling sweat, And feel my flames augmented manifold? What more miraculous thing may be told, that fire, which all things melts, should harden ice, And ice, which is congeal'd with senseless cold, Should kindle fire by wonderful device? Such is the power of love in gentle mind, that it can alter all the course of kind" Suzie trailed a finger along Gwen's cheek bone only to have it slapped away by a glaring Gwen. "Edmund Spenser, a beautiful poet"

"You're insane!" Gwen spat out. "Do you have any idea how frightened and jumpy I was because of you following me and leaving me little notes? I was scared stiff!"

"You were tired" Suzie said soothingly. "Harkness is a horny bastard you keeps you up all night. I understand"

"No you don't! Because let me tell you Suzie I will never love you" Gwen hissed. "I rather die than go anywhere with you"

Suzie's smile faded away and her eyes went cold and empty causing Gwen's insides to freeze. "That could be arranged" Suzie said in a flat voice. "I would rather kill you than let anyone else have you"

Gwen attempted to roll off the bed only to have Suzie pin her down, hands squeezing the life out of her throat, choking her, killing her....

The door flung open and Jack stood there mask-less though his blank expression made up for this missing mask. Suzie let go of Gwen in shock and stood up, glaring at Jack with such hatred that Gwen shuddered. Gwen took the opportunity to get off the bed and back away from Suzie, attempting to get the windows open, if she and Jack have to jump out to escape this insane bitch then they will. Unfortunately the window was too small and they were five stories up, so it wasn't a smart idea.

"Suzie" Jack said calmly. "You will leave my girlfriend alone and never bother us again"

"Why the hell should I do that?" Suzie sneered.

Jack lifted up his mobile phone and pressed a button, suddenly Suzie's voice floated out of the phone confessing to attempted murder of Alice and Emma. "Janet gave me the key when a teacher told me where Gwen was. I listened outside for a while and when I heard you admitting to be Gwen's stalker I recorded your confession" Jack explained with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "Now, you go away and never come back or I give this to the police and you'll be looking at ten years at least"

"Then I'll just have to kill you" Suzie said without hesitation. She pulled a gun out from the slit of her dress where she must have had some sort of thigh holster. She smiled in a sinister gleeful way. "I've dreamed of killing you for _so _long"

Jack held his arms up and smiled. "To die would be an awfully big adventure" Suzie faltered, looking slightly confused causing Jack's smile to broaden. "Oh Suzie, don't tell me you never read Peter Pan?"

Jack took the opportunity to tackle Suzie to the ground causing her to drop the gun; Gwen shrieked and leaped back as the pair wrestled on the floor. Suzie managed to knee Jack in the balls causing him to groan, taking the advantage she pinned him down on the ground and patted the ground until she felt the cool metal of the gun. Picking it up she held it up to Jack's temple and smirked.

"I hope you enjoy your big adventure"

The door flew open again. "What the hell, Jack?" Owen said looking shocked as he pulled Tosh to hide behind him and Ianto and Andy looked stunned as well. "The teachers had to call the police thinking three kids are being beaten or something up here"

"Witnesses now and the police are on their way" Jack said as Suzie slowly stood up. "You could try to kill us all and snatch Gwen but I can't see her not overpowering you and running back. Also once they hear the gunshots and see the bodies with you running away no doubt security will stop you for the police. Face it Suzie, it's over"

Suzie turned to Gwen who looked frightened and smiled sadly. "Beautiful Gwen" she whispered causing Gwen to flinch.

Suzie then pressed the gun under her chin and pulled the trigger.

"NO!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The police had finally finished questioning everyone and Owen stared emptily at the forensics team as they wheeled out Suzie's body in a body bag into the ambulance. Many students have left now after their worried parents had gone to pick them up. From the distance he could see Jack sitting next to a shell-shocked Gwen who was wrapped up in a blanket. Ianto and Andy were making their way to him and Tosh much to his disappointment and relief had been taken home by her mother.

"How's Gwen?" Owen asked.

"Still in shock" Ianto said grimily. "I think it'll take a while to get over it"

"Gwen's strong, I'll give it a week till she's back to herself" Andy said though he looked worried. "She'll still have nightmares though. I can't see her getting over it completely....ever. Who'd thought out of all the people it was Suzie Costello, I would have put my money on that Adam git"

Owen gritted his teeth at the reminder of Adam Smith. "I heard the police tell Jack that they had found Suzie's father dead and a lot of photos of Gwen all over the place. Including a shrine to her in the back of her wardrobe, I bet that's where Gwen's mug is right now"

Ianto and Andy shuddered in unison. "You think she was the one that got her pulled in the police station a couple of months ago?" Ianto asked.

"Most likely. She was a very cunning woman, I wish she was here just so I could kill her for what she did to Alice" Owen said curling his hand into a fist.

"And Emma" Andy added with a dark look.

Suddenly Owen's phone began to ring, without checking the id Owen answered immediately. "Hello? Yes this Owen Harper....yes....yes..." a grin broke out on his face. "You're kidding me? That's brilliant, don't worry we'll be down there straight away, thank you, goodbye, yeah you too mate" Owen closed his phone up and jogged over to Gwen and Jack. "Hey you two aren't going to believe this" he called out.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Alice has woken up"


	30. Chapter 30

**One Month Later...**

"One....two....three"

There was a loud ripping sound as the six friends ripped open their envelops and pulled out the plain slip of paper with the important grades printed on. They stood there staring at them for a short silent moment before screaming their delight and hugging one another.

"Straight As" Owen said boastfully.

"Would never believe it, you're a twat" Gwen said cheekily causing him to attempt to swat her with his paper which she ducked immediately. "I got two Bs and an A, what about you Tosh?"

"Straight As" she said not as shyly as she used to. Owen let out a yelp of joy and grab Tosh's arm pulling her to him so he could press a quick kiss on her lips causing the poor girl to blush brightly.

"Bugger off you lot" Owen said rudely at the amused stares his friends sent to him.

"Well I got an A, B and C. I'm a walking alphabet, me" Jack said proudly.

"You're a walking _something_ all right but I always thought it was pheromones or testosterone" Ianto said raising an eyebrow up looking completely un-amused. Much to Andy's everlasting happiness Ianto had finally gotten over his crush on Jack and had moved onto his blonde best friend. "I got two As and a B"

"Lucky you, I feel like an airhead next to you swots" Andy grumbled. "Two Cs and a D"

"Aw we love your stupid blonde moments anyway" Gwen teased Andy. The six of them walked out of the school hall nodding back at fellow classmates and teachers who gave them their congratulations and sympathies. Outside Owen's grandmother, Jack's mother and Alice, Gwen's parents and Andy's mother were waiting outside.

"Well?" Mrs Harkness demanded.

"We all aced apart from Andy, he C'ed and D'ed" Jack said waving his paper in front of his mother's eyes before snatching Alice out of her arms. "How's my little princess? Did anything happen since Daddy went? You didn't get a paper cut did you? Or trip? Don't worry baby, I won't ever let anything happen to you"

"You're smothering her. She'll end up hating you and run off with some junkie the way you're going" Gwen informed him with an eye roll before taking Alice off of him and hugging her. "Daddy's a nutter, isn't he?"

"Yes" Alice agreed causing everyone to laugh and Jack to pout.

The Headmaster walked past with a scowl and a governor with an amused smile that caused Owen to glare. "Mr Harper, I do hope the pipe bombs in all of the bathrooms had nothing to do with you. It is against the law and I would have no problems to press charges if it wasn't for this kind gentleman's insistence to pay out for new bathrooms"

Owen looked innocent and Tosh shuffled nervously. "I have no idea what you're on about sir; I don't even know how to make a pipe bomb"

"Bloody troublemaker, glad to get rid off you, bloody terrorist he'll be" the Headmaster grumbled darkly under his breathe as he stormed off in a huff.

"I love you too, sir" Owen yelled after him causing everyone to snicker.

"I don't believe you Tosh!" Gwen hissed. "Out of all of us I thought you'd never pull such a prank"

"Gwen, she's my girlfriend what do you expect?"

"You chose well son" Dr Green said with a smirk. "I am very proud of you, especially with your grades and University choice. Edinburgh from my experience is an expensive place to live, which is why I came to offer you and Toshiko Sato some part time jobs in one of my branches, it won't be much but the pay is good and you could use it to take your girl out"

"Normally I would tell you to sod off, Father, but since I do need a job I accept. Just don't expect me to be calling you Dad or anything" Owen said glaring.

"I don't. I wouldn't be surprised that after your university graduation I will never see you again" Dr Green said sighing sadly. "The headmaster was such a useful spy and I was very much amused to hear about your pranks. Now I must hand in my resignation of being Head of the Board. Well goodbye dear boy, I have several meetings to go to. I am very proud of your grades"

"Wanker" Owen grumbled.

Everyone else looked a little stunned. Andy was making fish faces again, Ianto looked pale and Jack looked furious. "Why didn't you tell me that your father is one of the most famous businessmen of our time, a man involved in many schools usually prestigious ones and has many branches all over the world?!"

"Something tells me the only reason he was involved in this school was because of Owen" Andy muttered.

"I rather not talk about it all right?" Owen growled. "He hadn't bothered to be in my life for the past seventeen years and he ain't going to be involved in the next eighty odd years either"

"All right" Jack shrugged. "Let's party then"

"Party! Party! Party! Party! Party!" Alice chanted clapping her hands.

Mrs Harkness groaned. "Well done Jack, now I have to deal with a hyper baby while you get drunk"

"Mother, I'm hurt! I fully intend to stay sober as I include my precious little princess in my celebration" Jack said half dramatically and half defensive.

"You kids are all mad, you know that?" Mr Cooper said chuckling. "Now all smile for the camera, this is probably the last time we'll have you six all together"

They all grinned, Jack and Gwen huddled together with Alice in between them, Andy and Ianto close together, with Andy's arm round Ianto's waist. Owen putting a protective arm round a shy Tosh (who smiled shyly) while his hand formed bunny ears above Ianto's head.

The camera flashed and everyone laughed.

No one was aware of someone watching them all with such burning hatred and resentment that it would have burned holes in their heads.

_Take a look at my body  
Look at my hands  
There's so much here  
That I don't understand_

_Your face saving promises  
Whispered like prayers  
I don't need them  
I don't need them_

_I've been treated so wrong  
I've been treated so long  
As if I'm becoming untouchable_

_Contempt loves the silence  
It thrives in the dark  
With fine winding tendrils  
That strangle the heart_

_They say that promises  
Sweeten the blow  
But I don't need them  
No, I don't need them_

_I've been treated so wrong  
I've been treated so long  
As if I'm becoming untouchable_

_I'm a slow dying flower  
Frost killing hour  
The sweet turning sour  
And untouchable_

_O, I need  
The darkness  
The sweetness  
The sadness  
The weakness  
I need this_

_I need  
A lullaby  
A kiss goodnight  
Angel sweet  
Love of my life  
O, I need this_

_Do you remember the way  
That you touched me before  
All the trembling sweetness  
I loved and adored?_

_Your face saving promises  
Whispered like prayers  
I don't need them  
No, I don't need them_

_O, I need  
The darkness  
The sweetness  
The sadness  
The weakness  
I need this_

_I need  
A lullaby  
A kiss goodnight  
The angel sweet  
Love of my life  
I need this_

_Is it dark enough?  
Can you see me?  
Do you want me?  
Can you reach me?  
Or I'm leaving_

_You better shut your mouth  
Hold your breath  
Kiss me now you'll catch my death  
O, I mean it_

_My Skin – Natalie Merchant _

**Author's Note: I would like to thank all those who reviewed, favourites and story-alerted this. Before some ask, I might do a sequel to this (I do have some plot-bunnies) and I may even do a Doctor Who companion piece to this. I'm not sure yet. **


End file.
